I've finally found you
by SwEeTkIsSeZ
Summary: Darien and Serena. Darien an important billionnaire, Serena a rich citizen. An unexpected meeting leads to happiness and love. Or does it? Can they overcome the many obstacles that lie ahead of them? Read and find out! BEING REVISED!
1. An Unexpected meeting

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Sailor Moon.

**Author's notes:** Hey there! Welcome to my first fic! I don't really have much to say except... Enjoy the show!

**Chapter 1**

"I'm like a ring leader, I call the shots. I'm like a firecracker, I make it hot," Serena sang with the radio to "Circus" by Britney Spears.

It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning and Serena Lawrence was cleaning her apartment. "Ah, done." She dusted the last piece of dirt off her little coffee table and headed to her room.

It was a little small but it was cozy: white-cream walls and a plush carpet of almost the same color, just a shade darker. There was a window right in front of her bed. Every morning she'd wake up to the most beautiful view of New York City. On her office table stood her PC. She rarely used it nowadays except for checking her emails and Facebook.

It was time for Serena's Saturday run. She took a look at herself in her long mirror. She stood there wearing grey sweatpants and a white form-fitting t-shirt that showed a bit of her belly. Her blond shoulder-length hair was tied up in a high ponytail and just a few strands were falling off, framing her face. As her blue eyes shone in the sunlight, Serena couldn't help but think that they were her best features. Mina Woods, her best friend, thought that Serena was the prettiest girl she'd ever seen. Serena had the body, the face and the personality. She was cheerful and nice, caring and generous. The kind of girl you just want to be friends with.

Serena's smile faded away. She was 25 and despite all her great features, she didn't have a boyfriend. She longed for that special someone who'd protect her, care for her and especially love her. She thought she had all that, once, but it turned out to be all a lie... She needed to find that person, that person who would die for her, fight for her. She just had to be patient.

She slipped on her Nike running shoes, grabbed her CD player and walked out the door.

--

Central Park; Serena loved running here. She looked around, careful not to bump into someone, and watched the people walking peacefully in different sections of the park. Little kids would be running about, playing tag, while their parents would set up a picnic of some sort. She saw an elderly couple holding hands, walking at the far end of the park. She smiled sadly as she thought about her own little relationship problem.

Turning up the volume of her Ipod to avoid the noise of barking dogs, Serena stopped her morning run to rest on "her" bench. She liked to think of it as "her" bench because it was in an isolated part of the park and practically no one would come walking by. The spot was shaded with trees and flowers of many species. Right in the middle of the garden stood a fountain, it was quite a masterpiece. Serena watched the water flow down into the bigger basin. 'I wonder when they'll put up the lights,' she thought. You see, sometime during the early part of the summer, professionals would decorate the little garden and certain parts of the park with lights. Serena imagined the last time she came here. It looked like the kind of spot you would see in the movies. Yes – that place filled with flowers that just suddenly lights up – that's the one.

Serena stood up after a while of being lost in her thoughts and began running again. It was almost 11:30 and she was starting to get a little hungry. She decided to stop at a nearby café.

Serena walked in and sat at a little table beside the big glass window. People, scattered around the place, were eating pastries of many sorts. It was quite silent in the café; it wasn't quite lunchtime yet so there weren't too many people. The waitress came striding towards her. She was a tall woman with wavy shoulder-length brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes. She was about Serena's age. Serena looked at the girl's name tag, her name was Lita.

"May I take your order please?" said the waitress in a rash tone.

"Um… yeah," Serena answered, smiling. "I'd like a cappuccino and a strawberry cheese cake."

"Will that be all Miss?"

"Yes, thanks." Serena watched Lita enter the double doors that lead to the kitchen, while another waitress made her drink.

A few minutes later, Lita came out through the same doors rather quickly, picking up her drink on the way out. Serena smiled at her. She noticed that two men, laughing loudly for some reason, were coming through the entrance and that Lita didn't see them. Serena decided not to watch the inevitable.

"OW!!"

Serena heard something brake and a rather loud thump. More people had come into the café and all of them had turned around to watch what was happening.

"YOU IDIOT!" Lita screamed. Serena opened her eyes to see Lita on the floor picking up the broken cup and plate pieces.

"UGH! My new shirt!" shouted one of the men who immediately started mumbling rather fiercely to his friend. Serena suspected that her order was all over him. He was quite handsome with his midnight black hair, blue eyes and muscular build. Serena took a better look and couldn't believe who she was seeing. It was Darien Shields: New York's number one multi-millionaire and bachelor. She immediately recognized his friend, Andrew Garner, second multi-millionaire and bachelor. He was pretty cute himself with his blond-brown hair and green eyes, but he had the exact same personality as Darien; they were both womanizers.

"Can't you people walk properly?!?" Lita screamed.

"I could say the same to you! You waitresses are supposed to serve us, not throw food at us! Damn it!" replied Darien looking at his soaked shirt.

"Well, it's a good thing I did! It was about time someone shut you and your friend up! 'Oh I had the greatest fuck last night!' 'Oh I had TWO great fucks last night!'" Lita said, saying the last part in a more manly voice and ending it with a manly laugh.

"Do you know who I am?" Darien asked in a firm voice, clearly insulted.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do! Doesn't everybody? That's why I said what I just said. You two are more known for your womanizing than your money or your industry," Lita replied with rage.

"Since you know who I am, you should know that your little café over here is paid and run by my company, which means that I can kick you and everyone else that works here out of this place in a second and make sure that the media blames everything on you. You don't want that happening don't you Miss… um… Lita?" Darien said in a low voice, glancing at the name tag, loud enough for Serena to hear.

"No, Mr. Shields," Lita answered, her teeth gritted together, while staring at the multi-millionaire straight in the eye.

"Now, why don't you be a doll and bring me and my friend some coffee."

Lita got up with the broken pieces in her tray and stomped towards the counter. All the customers returned to eating their meals. Serena stared at the scene in disbelief. 'That Darien Shields is ruder than I thought. How can he be so careless?' She said to herself. It made her hate him even more.

A short while later, Lita came back with Darien's order.

"Here are your coffees gentlemen," Lita said, trying to sound cheery because her boss, Mr. Buckman, was right behind her. He heard all the commotion from the kitchen. Darien noticed his presence and decided to take advantage of the situation.

"Um… Sir? Are you the owner of this perfect little coffee shop?" the bachelor said with a smile and loud enough for everyone in the café to hear. Andrew, wide-eyed, looked at Darien and understood what he was going to do.

"Well yes!" replied Mr. Buckman while staring in shock for he recognized the man before him.

"The pride and joy of a restaurant not only lies in the food or the person who runs it, but also in the service it provides to its customers. Don't you agree?" Darien asked after sipping the most delicious coffee he's ever tasted. 'Oh, Lita… after this you won't ever mess with Darien Shields,' Darien thought to himself.

"Yes of course, Mr. Shields!" said Lita's boss with a huge smile of flattery on his face.

"Since you agree, you must think that you're waitress here is doing an excellent job." He paused to look at Lita's expression of rage. "I presume you heard what happened a few minutes ago. I didn't get this stain on my shirt by myself," he said in a hard tone.

At that moment, Lita's boss understood what Darien meant. He looked at Lita. She had a slightly frightened look on her face but her strong personality got her ready for what was coming. She looked around, everyone was watching.

"I'm sorry Sir, but it was an accident," she said in a small voice.

"Miss Lita, I did not hire you to spill coffee on people, especially not on important people who can throw us out of business! You know, I am this close to firing you! But I know you terribly need the money to survive and since I'm not a heartless man, I'm gonna let this one pass. But, the next time you pull a stunt like this, I'll make sure you won't do it again, PERMANENTLY!!!"

Lita stared at him and looked like she was about to cry. Her boss gave one last smile to Darien and Andrew before walking away. Lita looked at the bachelors with sad eyes.

"How can you be so cruel?" Lita asked trembling. Darien just smiled while Andrew watched her tear-filled eyes. She ran towards the bathrooms.

"Geez Darien… how CAN you be so cruel?" Andrew said with a shrug.

"Oh come on, Andrew! I was just having a little fun," Darien said smiling.

"You can be such an asshole sometimes…"

"Good Lord Drew! I don't recall you being a little angel either you know! You've done some pretty rotten stuff yourself! Like that time you were drunk and did that virgin girl. You left her at that piss poor hotel in the middle of nowhere! Plus, you got her so drunk that she was more drunk than you! And that's a point that's kinda hard to reach…"

"You don't need to give me all the details, I remember perfectly well. The difference between us, Dare, is that I regret what I do wrong and you don't. I don't find joy in hurting people, you do."

"Oh don't get all melodramatic! Let's get out of here. We've got work to do," Darien said with a shrug.

Andrew got up before Darien and waited for him outside. Darien asked for the check from another waitress who gave him a dark piercing look. He paid for what he bought and left the money on the counter. Darien looked towards the bathrooms and left a 100$ tip on the table for Lita.

Serena watched the men walk out of the restaurant. She also saw Darien putting a 100$ bill on the table. He wasn't so bad after all. She still didn't get her order, but she couldn't blame Lita for it. The poor waitress got humiliated in front of everyone.

Serena decided to go see how Lita was doing. She entered the bathrooms. Serena looked at herself in the mirror. 'Damn I look like hell,' she thought. Her hair was all messed up and her t-shirt didn't look as clean as it was this morning. Serena decided to redo her ponytail. While she was doing this, she heard sobbing at the far end of the room.

After tying her hair up tight, she walked slowly towards the last cabin. She could hear Lita crying and mumbling something Serena couldn't quite make out. Serena approached the sad waitress who was sitting on a toilet seat.

"Um… hi!" Serena said, a little hesitant.

"What. Are all the cabins full or something 'cause I didn't ask you to come and talk to me," Lita said harshly while wiping her eyes and nose on her apron.

"Oh… well I was just wondering if you were alright. I can see that you wanna be alone, so I'll just leave now…" Serena said smiling sadly. She got up and turned towards the bathroom entrance.

"Um… wait!"

Serena turned around and looked at Lita questioningly.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so mad at that Darien Shields guy. I mean who does he think he is?" Lita said to Serena. "I'm Lita Jefferson, by the way."

"Serena Lawrence," she said with a smile. "And to answer your question, I think he thinks he can do anything taken his rank in society. Darien Shields and Andrew Garner: New York's, and probably the world's, hottest men. Oh, we can't forget the world's most rotten personalities."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"I never thought people like those two could exist. They are rude, pitiless and without heart… I mean they don't even exist in movies! People can't be all bad. There has to be something positive in those men."

"Pfft… I don't think that Darien CAN be good."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you. If you go back to their table, you'd see a very huge tip… a 100$ tip if I might add."

"No shit! He left me a 100$ bill?!" Lita shouted in shock.

"Yeah, he did. I saw him put it down on the table."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the tip he gave me. But, money doesn't really get humiliation and hurt out of your system."

"I know. I guess the only way he knows how to help is with his cash," said Serena with a sympathetic smile. "But you know what they say: it's the thought that counts."

"Yeah… let's just hope what he thinks about me is good. It didn't look like he cared much back there."

A few seconds passed before someone spoke again.

"You know, I still didn't get you your order," Lita said with a smile. Serena laughed.

"It's okay. How 'bout I buy you something."

"Sure, why not. Wouldn't want to refuse an offer!"

They both walked out of the bathrooms and Serena sat at the table she was in a few minutes ago. "I'll go get your order," Lita said while picking up her 100$ bill.

--

A little while later, Lita came back with Serena's cappuccino, a strawberry cheese cake and a little something for herself. They started talking as if they knew each other for years. Serena learned that Lita lived in a shabby little apartment and that she needed the money from being a waitress. That's why she got frightened when her boss was talking to Darien. Lita learned that Serena didn't need to work because her dad and grandfather were former vice-presidents of Shields INC. therefore, her family had enough money to feed a whole third world country. She felt a little envious, but she couldn't keep a grudge against someone like Serena. They talked about anything and everything. They were so busy talking that they didn't see the time pass.

"Oh god, it's almost 4! It's weird how time flies!" Serena said.

"We've been talking for more than 2 hours!" Lita exclaimed with a laugh.

"I've gotta go home." Serena stood up.

"Well, alright. It was really nice talking to you. I haven't had a talk like that in years!" Lita said with a huge smile.

"We should go out some time, when you're not working. Here's my home number and here's my cell phone number." Serena said while scribbling the numbers on a napkin with Lita's pen. "I've gotta run, don't wait a year to call me, okay?" Serena said with a smile while walking towards the door.

"I won't! You can count on it!" said Lita, smiling as well.

--

Serena found herself in front of her apartment building. It was a pretty big complex and one of the most classy and elegant buildings in New York City. It also had an expensive rent. Serena said good afternoon to the guard at the front of the building and walked through the turning window doors. She waved to the man at the counter and headed for the elevators. She waited a couple of minutes before the elevator came down. She let a few people get out before she went in.

--

Darien got out of his silver Corvette and gave his keys to the valet. He was a scrawny little guy who was kind of fidgety. "I don't want to see a single scratch on it. Got it?" said Darien with a dark look.

"Y-y-yes, Mr. Shields," the valet responded nervously. He walked towards the driver's door but before he could reach it, he tripped and fell onto the front of the car. He quickly got up and looked at Darien. "S-s-sorry, Sir, it won't happen a-g-g-gain Sir. I p-pro-" the valet started.

"No need to say more. Just take my car, will you?" Darien said annoyingly. He watched the valet closely while he entered his car. He kept observing his car till it turned the corner towards the underground parking lot.

Darien nodded with a small smile to the guard who nodded back and he walked into the apartment building. 'Wonder if that girl Lita took my tip or left it there,' Darien thought. He walked towards the man at the counter.

"Anything for me Daniel?" Darien asked.

"Yes Mr. Shields. 'Ere are your bills for ze month and your newspaper zat you forgot to pick up zis morning," said Daniel. He was French therefore, he had a weird little accent when he talked but it didn't really matter because he spoke perfect English.

"Is that all?"

"Um no, Sir. You received a call from… Michelle."

"Damn. When is she gonna stop calling me? It's been over for more than a year now!" Darien said irritated. "Didn't I tell you to tell her to stop calling me 2 weeks ago, Daniel?

"Yes Mr. Shields, you did and I did as I was told. I told her to stop calling, but I guess she did not listen. Somehow, she did not believe me when I told her you were not 'ere. She got mad and demanded to speak to you. She told me she was going to kill me if I did not put her call through to your room!"

"Good Lord. Good thing I broke up with her huh? She'd have slit my throat if I refused to bring her out," Darien said with a small laugh. "Now Daniel, the next time she calls block her, okay?"

"Yes Mr. Shields. Vat ever you say."

"Good, you were always a loyal man. Now, I have some business to attend to. Passez une bonne soirée, Daniel!" Darien said with his American accent.

"Vous aussi, Monsieur," answered Daniel with a smile.

"Merci," Darien said while walking towards the elevators. He saw a blond girl waiting for them too. 'Hm… seems like I'll have some company. A woman's company if I might add,' Darien thought with a mischievous smile.

She was staring intensely at the elevator doors that she didn't notice Darien's presence beside her. Serena was getting a little bored just standing there, so she decided to listen to her Ipod.

Finally, after a few minutes, the elevator arrived. She entered the little-spaced room and closed her eyes to sing with the tune that was playing. She even started dancing a bit, bobbing her head and snapping her fingers. The elevator man looked at Darien with a questioning look, but Darien just lifted his shoulders with a shrug. 'Funny little thing,' the bachelor thought. He wasn't used to seeing women like her. The women he dated were usually serious and dull.

"Pent house!" The elevator man said. "Good day, Mr. Shields."

Darien walked out of the elevator towards his apartment.

"Miss Lawrence! I said pent house!" said the man, but Serena couldn't hear him. "THE PENT HOUSE, MRS. LAWRENCE, THE PENT HOUSE!!!"

Serena opened her eyes to look at the elevator man. "Sorry," she said. "Couldn't hear ya through the music!"

Darien laughed at the man who had a crazed look and stared in awe at how beautiful Serena's eyes were. Serena walked towards her apartment and opened the door with her card key. Darien immediately turned swiftly towards his apartment door. 'Since when do I have a neighbor? And more importantly, since when do I look at women's eyes instead of their asses? I must be working too much… But her eyes…' With that thought, he walked into his apartment.

--

Serena walked into her luxurious apartment and turned off her Ipod. It didn't really look like an apartment; it looked more like a house of some sort. It was quite spacious. Serena looked at her living room. Her soft white-beige couches were around her little coffee table and her giant flat screen TV was in the nearest corner of the room. She turned her eyes towards what was behind her biggest couch: it was her piano. She used to play it and win concerts with it when she was a little girl. She loved playing it with her dad for he was the one who taught her how to play. Behind the piano, there were the big glass window and sliding doors that led to the balcony. She walked further into the room and into her kitchen. She grabbed an apple which was in a basket on her little round dining table and bit into it. 'Mmmm… sweet,' Serena thought to herself. You could see the staircase at the far end of the room which led to the bathroom and the bedrooms. Since Serena lived alone, she had a free room. It was the guest room, but Mina loved sleeping over so it was as if it was her room.

'That Darien guy is such an asshole. I just wanna strangle the guy for what he did to Lita. ARGH! That jerk!' Serena thought while munching on her apple.

"Hey Serena!"

Serena turned around to find another one of her best friends standing there. Her name was Amy Anderson. She was a small English woman of 24 years old, had black hair that kinda looked like blue hair and she had dark blue eyes because of her contact lenses. Serena trusted her friend completely therefore, Amy had a duplicate of her card key. Amy was holding Serena's dog, Blaze. He was a beige Labrador retriever.

"Amy! About time you brought him home!" Serena said with a smile. Amy detached the dog's leash and Blaze went running towards Serena. The retriever started licking Serena's face, happy to see his mistress. "Hope he wasn't too much trouble." Serena smiled at Amy and patted Blaze on the head.

"Well, I've gotta run Serena. Greg's waiting for me. We're having dinner at his parent's house," Amy said while opening the door.

"Okay then. Say hi to Greg for me. Call me, Ames," Serena said while giving Amy a kiss on each cheek.

"I sure will! Bye Blaze! Ciao Serena!" Amy walked out and Serena closed her door.

"Well, you must be hungry now, aren't you?" Serena asked Blaze who immediately ran into the kitchen. "Okay, okay, I'll give you your dinner." Serena filled his bowl with Pedigree dog food and took another bowl for his water. Blaze started eating madly.

**RRINGGG! RINGG!**

"Hm… who could that be?" Serena said while walking towards her phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, girlfriend!" said a cheerful voice.

"Oh hey Mina!" Serena would recognize Mina's voice anywhere.

"How ya doin'?"

"I'm great! How 'bout you?"

"Good as always!"

"I just came home a few minutes ago."

"You were runnin' all day?!" Mina said incredulous.

"No not all day!!!"

"Then what'd ya do?"

"It's a long story…"

"Oh, come on, tell me! Please?" she said in a small voice.

"Geez Mina. I'm kinda tired…"

"What happened?" Mina asked like a mother knowing something's wrong with her child. "Did you meet someone?" she asked, suddenly changing tone.

"No, Mina. Guys aren't attracted to me..."

Mina sighed. "So just tell me what happened already!"

Serena chuckled. "After my daily run, I went to this café and I met this really nice girl. She was a waitress there. Her name's Lita. Then, she accidentally bumped into… guess who."

"Who?" Mina asked curiously.

"I'll give you a hint: he lives in our city." There was silence on the other end. Serena took this as a sign to tell her best friend. "It was Darien Shields!"

"You've gotta be shittin' me!" Mina said surprised.

"No I'm not!" Serena said laughing. "I'm dead serious. I saw multi-billionaire CEO of Shields Inc.," she replied, proud of herself. "But I'm not done with my story. So where was I? Right. Lita spilled my order, which was on her tray, onto Darien's shirt. They started screaming at each other. Then it calmed down a bit. After that, Darien humiliated Lita in front of her boss and everyone in the restaurant. Lita went to the bathrooms to cry. I thought Darien was all bad, but he actually isn't 'cause he left Lita a 100$ tip. And then I went to see Lita in the bath-"

"What?? He left a 100$ top?!" Mina asked shocked. "Darien Shields has a heart. That should be tomorrow's headline."

"Ha! No one'll believe it! Anyways… I went to see Lita in the bathrooms to see how she was doing. Then we got out of there and talked till like 4 pm. I couldn't stay there any longer you know 'cause I knew Blaze would be home and that he'd need a bath." At that moment, Blaze looked up at Serena with a look that said 'Not again. Didn't I take one earlier?' Serena spotted this and giggled. "I gave her my number and left. It all passed pretty fast."

"Yeah I know the feeling!" Mina said with a laugh. "Let's move on to more serious business shall we?"

"What do you mean by serious business?"

"Wanna go clubbing tonight?" Mina said excitedly.

"Oh God, Mina. I told you, I'm tired…" Serena said unsure about her refusal.

"Oh come on Serena! We'll have tons of fun! It'll be good for you!"

"Geez Mins… You just wanna flirt with guys and you need a friend to not look too desperate."

"True… but I love having you around! Please! You know you'll have fun! You know how much you love dancing, the ambiance and the music!"

Serena thought about it for a few seconds. She did love dancing to club music. It was the only type of dance she could pull off not looking like a total freak. "Okay. Fine, I'll go."

"Thanks Serena! You're the best! We'll have lots of fun like always! I gotta go now. I've got stuff to do before we go. Plus, I've gotta get ready and you know how long it takes me to get ready!"

"Yeah okay. Blaze can't wait to take his bath. Drop by my place and we'll use my car, okay?"

"Yup. Ciao Sere. Muah!"

"Love ya." Serena put her cordless phone back into its place and turned towards Blaze who finished his bowl. "Come on, Big guy. We've both gotta take a bath," Serena said while going up the stairs with her dog.

--

Serena walked out of her bathroom with a towel around her body. She had just finished taking a shower after giving a bath to Blaze. It was almost 6 and Serena was getting hungry.

Serena went into her room and into her big closet. She took the clothes she wanted and changed. Serena decided to wear a black peasant tank top. She also had a jeans skirt that went down to her knees and had slits on each side. She decided to put her hair up with a big black clip (A/N: You know the ones that have like teeth). She put on a bit of makeup: black mascara and a touch of black eye-liner and lip-gloss. She put on her black sandals that you had to tie around your leg and grabbed her phone. She dialled Mina's cell phone number and waited.

"Hello?"

"Hey Mina, it's me. Drop by my place early 'cause I wanna grab a bite to eat before we go clubbing."

"Okay, Sere. Meet ya in and hour or so. Ciao."

Serena hung up and went downstairs. She decided to watch TV while waiting for Mina. She switched channels because Darien Shields' face was all over the news, as usual. Serena then stopped changing channels to know what all the commotion was about today. She turned the volume up to listen to the chubby reporter.

"Recognize this man? -**Picture of Darien pops up**- I bet you all do. Darien Shields, New York's wealthiest bachelor. But will he keep his title?" Serena looked at the TV with an intrigued look. 'What in the world?'

"Yes. Mr. Shields' company has suddenly suffered a severe loss. This phenomenon has never occurred in its 60 years of growth. But why now? It appears that Shields INC. has lost all its major overseas investments to another company, Blake Corporation. At this moment, Andrew Garner, Shields INC. vice president, is negotiating the loss of jobs with its employees and its branches. What does this company have that Shields doesn't have? What does it sell? Mr. Shields better get his act together or everyone who works under his company will lose their jobs. Wait a minute… I work for him… Shit. Hum… Anyways… more on this investigation, tomorrow. Good night everyone."

"Oh my… Lita works under Shields INC! God I hope she doesn't lose her job…" Serena said out loud.

It was 7 pm and Access Hollywood was starting. The same headlines were popping out at the beginning of the show. Serena turned the TV off and walked out onto her balcony, Blaze trailing behind her. Serena looked at her dirty swimming pool. 'Gotta get that cleaned one of these days…' she thought. She looked to her right and saw a familiar face. She couldn't quite make out who it was. She approached the being. 'He does have a striking resemblance to Darien Shields. Darien as my neighbor… what a laugh!' she thought. But as she grew closer, she heard the man talking.

"How can this be happening Andrew?! I've worked hard to give this company a reputation. A RESPECTABLE REPUTATION! My father, my grandfather worked their damn asses off! GOD, ANDREW! What are we gonna do?!" Serena heard screaming at the end of the phone. "Damn it! At this rate, we'll lose our jobs! Hold on Andrew. I'll put you on speaker phone before I damage this thing." There was a beep and a slight pause. "Yeah Andrew. I'm back… What?! What are you talking about?" Serena didn't hear what Andrew said but from the tone of Shields' president, it wasn't something good. She hid behind her tall plants. "Have you gone mad Andrew?!"

"Listen to me; do you want to save your company?"

"Of course! But not that way! Not by killing the company's presidents!" Serena gasped. 'He's worse than I thought!'

"It's the only way Darien! Think about it!" Andrew screamed loudly.

"You think about it! You fuckin' idiot! They're innocent Andrew! They're just doing what we did to surpass every freakin' industry and obstacle that was in our way! I know you're pissed but it's not the time to get your psychotic ideas out."

"I AM NOT PSYCHOTIC! I'm just... desparate."

Darien just rolled his eyes. "I gotta go Andrew. Meet me tonight we'll discuss it over dinner."

"Right Sir."

"Oh and Andrew."

"Yes Dare?"

"Don't go killin' anyone."

"You just ruined my night, bud," Andrew said with a sarcastic tone.

"Just hang up."

"Kiss my ass."

"How 'bout not." Darien pressed the hang up button and looked towards Serena's direction. Serena, startled, moved back slowly while waving at Darien. She didn't know that the pool was right behind her. "Um… stop… your pool is right be-" *SPLASH* "behind you."

Serena walked out of her pool humiliated. "Oh shit… Tell me that didn't happen…"

"It did," replied Darien with a smirk while looking at her from head to toe. Serena ran, soaked, into her apartment but not before tripping on… a swimming foam noodle. (AN: It's not a REAL noodle, as in food. It's the long thing that helps you float around in the water lol.)

--

**Author's notes:** Thanks for reading the first chapter! Hope you all liked it! Please review! =)


	2. Feelings unleashed

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Sailor Moon, don't sue me… haha.

**Author's notes:** I hope you'll find this chapter as interesting as the first one people! Enjoy! Oh by the way, I forgot to put what my punctuation means. So, here it is!

'…' someone thinking

"…" Someone's talking, obviously

--…-- sounds, time gaps

-- POV change or time moves forwards or backwards

**Chapter 2**

"I can't believe that just happened. I can't believe that just happened..." Serena repeated to herself while running up the stairs.

"Hey girl!"

Serena turned around to find Mina standing on the doorstep. Mina looked a lot like her: she had blue eyes and blond hair that went down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a baby blue top that had one large strap and a jeans mini-skirt. She wore blue sandals that had mini stilettos. "I'd hug you but as you can see I'm not too dry right now." Serena told her.

"Yeah I can see that. May I ask why?" Mina said with a questioning look

"It's a long story…"

"Come on tell me! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLE-"

"Okay, okay… anything to stop you from doing that ditzy blond act again," Serena said. "Just let me get changed first."

"I'll go up with ya."

"Okay." They both walked up the stairs and into Serena's room.

--

"So that's how I got all wet," Serena said, finishing her story. She was all dry now. She was wearing a strapless white top that showed her belly button and a knee-long skirt that had purple, white and black diagonal stripes. She kept the same sandals as before.

"Poor you, Serena! Must've been humiliating!" Mina said, laughing.

"Oh gee… thanks for your sympathy…" Serena said sarcastically.

"It's just funny Serena. These things never happen to you! I've gotta take advantage of these rare situations!" Mina replied still laughing.

"Humph…"

"Okay, I'll stop now," said Mina giggling. "How come ya never told me he lived here, huh?"

"I didn't know either! I guess 'cause he works so much, we barely meet. Besides, I thought he lived in that mansion on the other side of town."

"Yeah… I thought so too. Guess if the media knew where he really lives, they'd have a field day. But I wonder why the people who live here don't just tell everyone that Darien Shields stays here."

"He probably pays them to keep their mouth shut," said Serena with disgust.

"He must pay 'em a lot then," Mina said with a look of wonder.

"Yeah… Enough about Darien. Let's eat. I'm really hungry," Serena said while rubbing her stomach.

Serena grabbed her purse and the two girls went downstairs. Serena patted Blaze on the head and went out the door with Mina.

"So he lives right there, huh," Mina said looking at Darien's apartment door while they walked towards the elevators. "It's weird that you didn't know he lived there. Wonder what would've happened between you two if you guys knew each other earlier…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Serena.

"Well… you know… What if you guys dated. You'd probably be married to each other right now! What if you're the one for him and he's the one for you!" Mina said with sparkling eyes.

"Get real, Mina! I bet that even if he knew me, he wouldn't date me. I mean look at the women he dates! They're all really beautiful, voluptuous and hot!"

"Really slutty to," said Mina in a monotonous tone.

"The point is that we wouldn't date. Plus, I wouldn't like a man like him. He's the complete contrary of my dream guy. It's just impossible Mina."

"Sometimes, the impossible can be possible. Maybe you guys'll date, now that you know each other…"

"Didn't you hear what I just said?! It won't happen. It'll NEVER happen unless hell freezes over!" Serena said incredulous.

**DING!**

The elevator doors opened.

"Okay… We'll just wait till then. Man, you're so pessimistic. Think of all the money you'd have. Maybe he'd be a changed man…" Mina said with a drifting tone.

"God Mina… I told you, it'll never happen. NEVER."

"Okay. Geez, don't get mad. I was just speculatin'."

They waited a few minutes before getting off and passed in front of Daniel. "Bonsoir Mizz Lawrence! Shall I tell ze valet to get your car?"

"No, Daniel. No need. We'll be fine on our own. Thanks anyway!" Serena said with a smile.

"No problem Mizz."

Serena went through the door that led to the parking lot. She scanned the area for her car. It was easy to spot for it was a bright red Ferrari. Serena and Mina walked towards it and went inside.

"Where to Serena?" Mina asked.

"Hm… I dunno… I'm kinda in the mood for Italian. How 'bout we go to that fancy restaurant we went to with Amy and Greg?"

"Okay, sure."

--

Buenanotte; one of the most known restaurants in New York City. (AN: I've been to New York ONCE, so I don't know a lot about that city. I just made the restaurant up.) A lot of important people would dine there for it had the most delicious Italian food in the City. It was one of the rare restaurants that wasn't run by Shields INC. Serena parked her car in front of the restaurant. "Good evening, ladies. May I take your car?" said the valet with a typical New Yorker accent, looking at the two girls like they were meat.

"Um… of course! Just make sure you don't scratch it," Serena answered with a deadly look and a hard tone.

"Whatever you say Miss. Your wish is my command," replied the valet with a devious smile. He reached for Mina's side door but before he could open it, Mina got out of the car first, making sure she hit the valet with the car door. "Jerk…" she mumbled and walked towards the entrance of the restaurant. Serena got out, hiding her smile, and gave the valet her keys. "We are SO out of your league," she spat. Serena joined Mina in front of the restaurant and left a pissed valet beside her car.

The two best friends walked towards the counter. "Good evening, ladies!" said an Italian man.

"Table for two, please." Serena said.

"Do you have a reservation?"

"Um… no… but the ma-"

"If you don't have a reservation, you cannot dine here. We have much more important people to serve, other than you commoners…"

"Ah! Miss Lawrence! Welcome back!" said a chubby cheery man coming from behind the snobby receptionist at the counter who was now very pale. It was the manager. "Is there a problem here Alessandro?"

"Um no, Mr. Paulo."

"There better not be… Miss Lawrence over here is one of the most wealthiest people in New York and one of my closest customers," the manager said looking happily towards Serena.

"Now come, Serena. I will give you and your friend a table." Serena followed Paulo but Mina stayed behind to give Alessandro a punch on the shoulder. "Here you go ladies. Hm… I didn't catch your name., Paulo said to Mina while Serena sat down.

"The name's Mina Woods. Pleased to meet you!" she said while shaking his hand.

"Pleasure's all mine. Paulo Pagliarini," he said with a smile. "It's been quite some time, Serena. How's your father?" he asked her while giving her a hug.

"He's doing fine. He has quite a lot of money to spare after working for Shields INC.!" she said with a smile.

"Yes, I will never forget what he did for me with that money: giving me all that money to start my restaurant over here. Look at me now! I am as rich as him!"

''So I've noticed… Well, your restaurant is a great success!'' **-grumble grumble-**

''I can see, um… hear that your stomach is demanding food! I will send a waiter to your table immediately. It was very nice meeting you Miss Woods. Any friend of Miss Lawrence is a friend of mine! If you need anything just give me a sign." With a bow, he left.

A few minutes later, a tall Italian waiter stopped at Serena's table. "May I take your order ladies?" he said with a polite smile.

"Sure!" Mina answered analyzing him from top to bottom. 'You can take my order anytime…' she thought.

Serena saw the look on Mina's face and automatically knew what she was thinking. "Well…" Serena said while kicking her best friend's ankle under the table. "I'll have your famous spaghetti with extra parmesan and meatballs please!"

"I'll have the same with a slice of pizza and a Cesar salad," Mina said while staring at Serena with an angry look.

"Will that be all?" the waiter said, watching the two girls fighting it out telepathically.

"We'd like a bottle of your finest wine too," Serena said.

"And make that 2 slices… hehe…" Mina said embarrassed. The waiter smiled.

"Very well ladies. I'll be back as soon as your orders are ready," he said while walking towards the back of the restaurant.

"Thanks!" both girls replied.

"What's your problem, Serena?" Mina said harshly.

"Well, I'm sorry to say this… but you looked soooo desperate, not to mention in need," Serena answered with a huge laugh.

"How dare you!" Mina replied with a smile.

"Well, it's true!"

"Why you…" Mina said while lightly slapping Serena across the hand.

--

"What are we gonna do Dare? We might lose our jobs, our millions maybe even our girls!" Andrew said with almost a shriek.

"I don't know Andrew. But whatever we do, we'll have to do it fast," Darien said while wiping his mouth on the soft white napkin. He loved this restaurant. Buenanotte had the best Italian food, the best Italian wine and the best Italian people in the city. It was his favorite restaurant and it wasn't even part of his own company. 'And thank God for that,' he thought. 'If it was, it would be gone in a week.'

"Darien!" Andrew screamed. "You're the company's president! I mean you should know what to do during times like these! Don't you have a plan B or something?" he said panicking.

"Will you calm down?" Darien replied annoyed. "I guess I was so wrapped up in being successful and rich, and thinking that I'd be exactly like my dad and granddad, that I thought I wouldn't have any problem taking over this company. Boy was I wrong… Maybe this is the end of me. Maybe this is the end of the company. Maybe-"

"Oh shut up, Dare! My whole life depends on this company! You have to find something! ANYTHING!" he said putting his fists on the table.

"I know, Drew, I know," Darien sighed. He turned to his right, desperate for ideas. 'Hey, I know her,' he thought. Across the room, Serena was sitting and giggling at her friend, who was totally pigging out on pizzas. 'She's the girl that fell in the pool, the one with the sparkling eyes,' he thought with a smile.

"Darien, are you listening to me? Daaaaaaarieeeeeeen!" Andrew said waving his hands and snapping his fingers in front of his best friend's face. He turned to where Darien was staring and saw a bubbly blond girl laughing. 'He's found new prey,' he thought. 'But there's a new glint in his eyes…' "HEY DARIEN!!"

Startled, Darien turned around. "You didn't have to scream, you know!"

"Well, apparently I did. You've been staring at that girl over there for God knows how long!" Andrew said smirking.

"What are you talking about? I wasn't staring at her," Darien said incredulous.

"Let the heaven's sing! For Darien has been struck by cupid's arrow and is now falling for a fair maiden! The prince has found his princess," Andrew said with an English accent.

"Whatever, Drew…" Darien replied.

"Excuse me, kind Sir, while I take a royal piss in the royal courtiers," Andrew said happily while bowing down. Darien stared at his friend but his gaze couldn't help but wander off to his far right, back on the beautiful blond goddess. 'What is happening to me? Why am I feeling this way? Could this be love at first sight? Nah… I don't believe in that crap… I just wanna sleep with her real bad… Yeah, that's it! I just want her for tonight… yeah…' Even though Darien thought this, his eyes stared softly at the blue-eyed girl.

--

"You're such a pig, Mina!" said Serena scowling at her best friend.

"Oh shut up, Sere! I can never eat in peace with you around!" Mina replied while taking another bite of her pizza.

"Will you hurry up so we can leave already? I feel like we've been here for hours and I'm tired of watching you fill up your face!" Serena said with a laugh.

"MR. SHIELDS! MR. SHIELDS!" Before Mina could shout back at her friend, about a dozen reporters ran towards the table of the multi-billionaire. Serena turned around and watched her new found neighbor being attacked by a swarm of journalists and their cameramen. For a split second, she swore she saw Darien Shields looking at her. 'I must be imagining things…' she told herself.

"Are you done yet? Let's leave. There's way too much commotion around here," Serena told Mina while shaking off her weird thoughts.

Serena left a tip for the waiter while Mina grabbed her purse. They walked towards Paulo, paid him right there for the food, and gave him each a kiss on the cheek. "Have a nice night ladies!" he said with a smile. "Sorry about the inconvenience."

"No trouble at all, Paulo! But I suggest you check up on our billionaire over there… he might suffocate," Serena said with a laugh. She looked back one more time at the table of the most important person in the city before walking out the door with her best friend. 'I could've sworn he was looking at me…'

--

"MR. SHIELDS! MR. SHIELDS!"

'Oh crap.' He stared at his blond neighbor during the last few seconds that was left. She was staring back and for half a second, Darien's heart skipped a beat. His heart pounded while he watched her walk out of the restaurant. Before he could rearrange his thoughts, a ton of reporters came to his side, all of them screaming the question of the day 'What are you planning to do with your company?'. At that moment, Andrew came back from his journey to the bathroom and once again, a batch of flashes appeared.

"What the f-"

"Not in front of the camera, Drew," said Darien cutting him off.

Andrew raised an arm in front of his face to hide from the blinding light. He was now standing beside his best friend. "Maybe we should get out of here…" he whispered.

"Yeah, maybe we should… On three, okay?" said Darien equally low.

"One…"

"Two…"

"THREE!!" Darien screamed.

Both billionaires jolted towards the door. Darien quickly paid Paulo, the manager, gave him a small thanks and sprang to his car.

--

"Where to Mina?" Serena asked her friend.

"How 'bout that club that just opened up?" Mina replied excited.

"Axon?! It's pretty expensive there! You sure you can afford it?" Serena exclaimed.

"There's no price to having fun! Step on it Serena!"

Serena did as she was told and put some music on, at full blast. She drove towards their destination rapidly while Mina waved her hands in the air.

--

"Hurry Dare!" Andrew said panting.

"I'm trying, Drew!" Darien replied while taking out his car keys. He pointed them at his Corvette and the motored vehicle started up. They reached the car and jumped in.

"Alright! Let's go!" Andrew screamed.

Darien put his keys in the ignition and stepped on the gas. They sped out the parking lot, almost hitting the valet who was watching all the commotion. The reporters were still on the sidewalk taking pictures. Darien laughed and a few seconds later, so did Andrew. After a few minutes of hard laughing, Darien spoke. "You do know we're gonna be on the front pages of every newspaper and magazine in the city, right?"

"Yep, and for the first time in my life, I don't care about what the world thinks. How 'bout we just forget about the whole company thing and just enjoy ourselves for once?"

"That sounds like a plan," Andrew said with a smile.

"Great. Let's go to that new club you were talking to me about? Assoff? Asson?"

"Axon?"

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"It's kind of pricy… but it's nothing we can't afford, right?" Andrew said smirking.

"Right... That might change in a week though," Darien said grinning as well. With that said, they drove off into the night, wind in their hair.

--

Club music was all around Serena and Mina. They were in the heart of the city and the roads were packed with cars and people. Everyone was having fun. They were all giggling and laughing with their friends.

"I hate this time of night! You can never find a parking spot!" Serena grumbled. "Aha!" she smiled as she saw an old lady going towards her car. "C'mon, c'mon…" Serena muttered with anticipation. The old lady opened her car door. "Start the car already!" she said with excitement. After a few minutes, the car drove away.

"Ah finally! She took all her sweet time, didn't she?" Mina said annoyed. "Anyways, let the party begin!" Mina screamed with joy. Serena approached the now empty space.

**--Wheels screeching--**

A silver Corvette drove in front of Serena's Ferrari and parked itself in her space. "Fuck! What a fucking idiot!" Serena exclaimed with rage. "I've been driving for hours looking for a freakin' parking spot!" Serena screamed angrily while honking the horn at every word she uttered. A few seconds later, the Corvette started honking back. "And he has nerve to honk back!" she screamed. Serena beeped back. The driver of the other car honked equally. Serena honked back again. This back and forth process continued for what seemed like forever to Mina.

"Serena, will you stop it! Everyone's looking at us!" Mina said embarrassed while looking at the people staring at them on the sidewalk.

"Oh shut up Mina!" Serena screamed, concentrated on beating the other driver with the honking.

"SERENA!! GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER! YOU'RE NOT 4 YEARS OLD ANYMORE! WE LOOK LIKE PSYCHOS!" Mina screamed at the top of her lungs. "Pull yourself together! It's not the end of the world! I'm sure that plenty of cars are leaving right about now. We just have to find them," Mina said.

"Fine…" Serena replied. She drove towards the intersection, but not before passing beside the silver Corvette. Wind blew Mina's long hair and hid Serena's view of the driver. "Asshole!" Serena screamed to the driver, trying to get a look at who was behind the wheel.

"Will you just drive, please?" Mina said exasperated.

Serena glared at her best friend and drove away.

--

"I can feel the groove…" Andrew said in a stoned kind of way.

Techno music was playing and Darien couldn't wait to go to a bar. He needed to forget his problems. "Ah, a parking spot!" he said. He zoomed towards it and didn't notice that someone else was waiting for it. The driver of what seemed like a red Ferrari honked madly at him. "Oh shut up!" he shouted while beeping as loud as the other driver. "You can find another parking spot!"

The two drivers were battling it out with their horns. "Dare, maybe you should stop… this is getting kind of crazy. People are staring," Andrew said quietly.

"That driver doesn't wanna get off my case, Drew!"

At that moment, the driver of the Ferrari pulled up beside his car and screamed "asshole". Darien couldn't quite see the face of the psycho driver because her friend's hair was blocking his view. He looked harder and saw two bright blue eyes. 'It can't be her…' he thought.

"Um, Dare, the crazed driver's gone. I think it's safe to get out now," Andrew said with a smile.

"Uh, yeah… whatever… let's go," Darien said, shaking his thoughts away.

The two millionaires walked to the newly opened club, Axon. They walked up to the bouncer. "ID, please?" the gigantic man asked.

"Here ya go, buddy," Andrew said giving him his ID.

"A-A-Andrew G-Garner!" the bouncer exclaimed surprised.

"Precisely. You might know my good friend Darien Shields," Andrew said smugly.

"Of course!"

"Here's the fee for tonight. How much was it again?"

"It's a 45 entry, sir. But for you-"

"Whatever, we've got money to spare," Andrew said while handing the bouncer the fee.

"Go right in, guys."

"We appreciate it, thanks."

The two men walked in and they immediately got stares from all the ladies.

--

"Sorry about what happened over there, Mina. I'm just a tad tired. I'm in serious need of prepping up," Serena said apologetically while getting out of her car.

"It's all good, Sere! I know just the remedy!"

Both girls walked down the sidewalk towards the newest club in town, Axon. They were getting catcalls from every guy that passed, even the ones who had girlfriends. Mina loved the attention. Serena simply hated it. She thought it was disgusting and repelling. "Come on Sere! If you wanna have fun, you gotta get into the mood," Mina said smiling and winking at some random guy. They arrived at the front door of the club. A lot of people were waiting behind a huge line. Some people got tired of waiting and started to leave. The line got shorter and shorter until the girls were in front of a huge man.

"May I see your IDs ladies?" the bouncer asked them.

"Isn't this enough ID for you?" Mina asked him seductively, lifting her skirt to reveal a bit of her thigh.

"Hum, go right in girls," replied the bouncer, eyeing that bit of flesh.

The two girls walked in and were amazed at how the décor was tidy and fresh. It gave them thrilling vibes and the music was loud, but great. After that second of amazement, Serena, appalled, grabbed her best friend's arm. "What the hell was that trick? Are you somehow already drunk or something?"

"Get a grip, Sere. I didn't have my ID on me. How were we supposed to have the time of our lives if I hadn't done what I did? Besides, it's not like I do this all the time," Mina said smirking.

"How many times have you done it, Mina?" Serena said suspiciously.

"A few…" Mina answered with a laugh. "But we didn't come here to argue about my pathetic life, we came here to party, remember?"

"Fine, fine…" Serena said with a small smile.

"Now go and linger. You need to unwind! You need to feel the music! You need to dance!" Mina exclaimed loudly.

"No, Mina. I need a drink."

"You go do that then. I'll go explore," Mina said grinning. She walked away into the crowd.

"We all know what that means…" Serena said smiling.

The place was packed with dancing people and some of them were shouting because the music was so loud. Serena decided to stay at the bar to "unwind" as Mina put it. She walked towards the bar and took a seat at the far end of the counter.

"Can I get a martini, please?" Serena screamed as loud as she could.

"Sure, anything for a pretty lady." replied a seductive young man. Serena, flustered, just smiled. "Here ya go babe," said the man. He winked as he gave Serena her drink. 'Damn, he has great eyes and not too bad of a body either.' She gulped her martini down as if it were a glass of water. "Can I get another one?" asked Serena with a babyish smile.

"Sure, babe."

--

"Can I get another one?" Serena asked with a drunken tone.

"Sure Hun," the bartender replied with a small smile.

"Thanks."

Serena watched Mina having the time of her life on the dance floor. Her best friend was dancing with three different guys. Both girls have been drinking way more than they should be. Serena tried getting up but her head started to feel heavy and she was very dizzy. "Um, cute guy, you don't have by any chance a Tylenol? Um, make that 5…" Serena asked the bartender.

"Nope, I don't. Sorry babe," he replied apologetically.

"It's ok. You've given me way too much already…"

Serena rested her head on the counter. Mina kept dancing around like it was New Year's Eve and both girls were oblivious to what time it was. Serena tried thinking about the consequences of their actions, but her head ached with more pain each time. She decided to just close her eyes and lose herself to the music.

--

Darien gulped his last shooter glass at the bar. He was feeling a little tipsy but he wasn't drunk yet. He promised himself that he wouldn't be drunk tonight, but the temptation was too strong. He calmed his nerves down and ordered a glass of water. Ever since he walked into the place, girls were watching him closely. A few times they would ask him to bring them home or to buy them a drink. He refused them all. Tonight, he wanted to be Darien Shields, not the multi-billionaire, not the bachelor, just plain old Darien Shields. He needed a break from his former life. He wanted to live, for once.

Darien looked at the dance floor and saw his best friend having the time of his life with this blond girl. He was practically fighting off these two other guys to dance with her. 'She looks a lot like that girl…' The annoying couple beside him, who had been chattering to each other for hours, finally decided to go home.

He turned his head back and looked for the bartender. He was busy talking to another customer. 'It's her,' Darien thought.

--

"Can I get another one?" Serena pleaded the cute bartender.

"Technically, I should answer to the customers needs, but in your case, I think not. You've had way too many martinis, babe."

"Please?" Serena pleaded harder.

"I'm sorry. How 'bout a glass of water instead?"

"Party pooper!" Serena exclaimed.

--

'She's so beautiful…' Darien thought to himself. 'Why am I thinking like this? What's wrong with me?' His heart pounded in his chest while he was looking at the blond beauty before him. 'I wonder if that's her boyfriend.' For a second, Darien was filled with jealousy. 'Nah, that's impossible. They don't look like they're together.' His anger slowly disappeared. 'I have to go talk to her, but she doesn't look like she's in a state for talking. She looks a bit drunk.' Darien smirked. 'That's weird; I'm not taking advantage of her. Usually, _I'd_ get a girl drunk…' He looked at the girl before him and his stomach flopped. He wanted to touch her, feel her soft skin in the palm of his hand. He wanted to kiss the curve of her neck with soft sweet butterfly kisses. 'I have to talk to her.'

--

Serena was left alone with a glass of water. "So, now I'm stuck with you, you icy cold thing. Do you know you don't taste like anything? Hmmmm?"

"Having fun there?" a dark deep voice asked her.

Serena looked up and saw a tall man talking to her. "I think, I am," she replied.

"How 'bout I get you another drink since he doesn't wanna give you one?" he said with his sweet sultry voice taking a glance at the bartender.

"Oooooo! Goodie!" Serena smiled.

"Bartender! A martini! Pronto!" the man screamed. "Name's Diamond, Jeff Diamond."

"Serena Lawrence. BURP! Sorry, hum…" she answered while gulping down her martini.

"Shouldn't I get something in return for getting you a drink?" Jeff said. His hand was sliding up Serena's thigh.

"What are you doing?!" Serena exclaimed, slapping his hand off from under her skirt.

"Just getting my thanks." Jeff brought his face close to hers and slammed his mouth against hers. He started kissing her ferociously and his hand was moving up her thigh. Serena started to panic. With the music, no one would be able to hear her cries. No one could see her because she was in a little corner. She tried pushing him off, but he was too strong for her. He held her hands down so she would stop squirming around. His tongue was practically pushing down her throat and his hand was on her underwear. 'Where is the bartender?' Serena started to cry. She was being sexually harassed and no one was there to help her. Mina was too busy dancing and so was everyone else.

**--BAM!!--**

"Get your dirty paws off her, mother fucker!"

Darien walked towards the petite blonde and cupped her face into his hands. Serena was in tears and in shock. She couldn't move and she was scared. She thanked God that someone had the decency to save her from that horrible man. She looked up at the man that saved her. "Oh my God… you're Darien Shields!" Serena whispered.

"Um yeah… Are you okay? Did he-"

"You fuckin' cunt!" Jeff screamed and pulled Darien off Serena. He threw him onto a nearby chair. Everyone was looking at the fight. Mina, wanting to know what the whole commotion was about, ran towards the scene. In a corner, she saw Serena curled into a little ball, crying her brains out. She ran towards her best friend. "Sere! Are you hurt? Oh my God…" She hugged her best friend and brought her to a chair. Andrew, having lost his dance partner, also went to the scene of the crime. There, he saw Darien throwing punches at a guy who obviously had a broken nose. He ran up to the two men and placed himself in the middle of them. "Brake it up guys!" Immediately, the bartender came running from the back of the bar and helped Andrew separate the two men. The two fighting men calmed down and Jeff walked towards the door. "You broke my nose, asshole!"

"I could brake something else if you want me to fucker!" Darien spat back.

"Fuck you!"

"No, fuck YOU!"

The bouncer came running through the door and pulled Jeff Diamond out of the club. "We'll meet again, Shields!" Jeff screamed maliciously.

"Pfft…" Darien had a bruised eye and a bleeding lip. He looked at his best friend, who was really disappointed in him. He had a questioning look on his face. Darien pointed towards the girl that was sitting beside Andrew's dance partner, with his head. Andrew understood completely. "So you decide to be all heroic all of a sudden?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm just doing my duties as a citizen, Drew." Andrew looked at him with a look of disapproval. "Listen, she was being harassed by him. I mean, he was shoving his tongue into her esophagus. What else was I supposed to do?"

"There's gotta be something more to your story. You could've at least talked to the guy first." Andrew knew Darien inside and out. He knew that something was up. "Darien, I've known you all my life and you wouldn't just go throw punches at people because you're a New York citizen. You must have a better reason than the one you came up with. So spill."

For a few seconds, Darien stood silent in front of his best friend. He stared at the janitors who were cleaning up the mess he made and turned towards his best friend. "Fine, Drew. You wanna know. Here it is. You can laugh all you want about it, but I don't care." Andrew stood there attentively. "There's something about that girl, something that intrigues me, Drew."

"Could it be, by any chance, what's under her skirt?" Andrew said smiling.

"Be serious, Drew. I know I haven't exactly been prince charming for any girl for a while and I know I haven't exactly treated them like they should be treated, but this girl's different." Darien looked at the blond girl and his eyes softened with tenderness.

Andrew noticed the change in his eyes and knew that this girl had something special in her. He knew that she must have something mysterious for Darien to talk like a prince from a movie. "If you think so Dare, just be careful. In the mean time, I have to bring a drunk blonde home. I suggest you do the same," Andrew said grinning.

"Here, take my car." Darien handed Andrew his car keys.

Andrew walked towards Mina. "Um… I didn't catch your name."

"This isn't the appropriate time to hit on someone, you know," Mina said bitterly.

"Woah! I just wanted to be polite and offer you a ride home because I think you aren't in a normal state to drive."

Serena, who stopped crying a while ago, wiped off the few remaining tears on her cheeks. "Mina, it's ok. You can go with him. I'm not exactly sober."

"I'm not going if you're not. Who's gonna drive you home?" asked a worried Mina.

"I am." Darien had joined the group.

"You!" Mina exclaimed. "You hurt Serena didn't you?"

"Mina, stop it." Serena spat. "He saved me. Darien Shields saved me."

"D-D-Darien Shields? The Darien Shields?"

"Yup, that's me."

"Multi-billionaire Darien Shields?"

"Yeah."

"The womanizing bachelor Darien Shields?"

"Ok. I wouldn't go that far…"

"I'm so sorry for doubting you like that… You can take Serena home if you want to. I mean you guys live in the same building and all."

"Yeah, I know."

"Okay, Mina. Why don't I bring you home now?" Andrew asked.

"Sure. If you remember anything from tonight tomorrow, call me," Mina said while giving her best friend a huge hug. She got up from her kneeling position and tripped on her shoe. Andrew caught her before she hit the floor. "Um, yeah drive me home please… hehe..." Mina said embarrassed.

"I'll see ya tomorrow, Dare. Don't do anything stupid," said Andrew.

"I won't," replied Darien. He watched Andrew walk out of the club with his dance partner in his arms and turned to look at Serena. Her eyes were red and puffy. "Could you get my purse?" Serena asked the bachelor. "It's on the counter."

"Sure." Darien walked towards the counter and picked up her purse. He left a 200$ on the table for repairs.

"My keys are in it." Serena got up, but her head was spinning so fast. She fell into Darien's arms. "Mmmm…" she muttered softly into his ear while falling asleep.

Darien's body shivered in response. He picked her up into his arms and carried her out of the club. "What's your car model?" he said softly.

"It's a Ferrari, a red Ferrari." she whispered. 'I knew she was in that honking car,' he thought.

"You called me an asshole," Darien said smiling.

"Huh?"

"My car's a silver Corvette."

Serena opened her eyes in surprise. Her big blues were staring directly into Darien's. 'He has nice eyes…' she thought. "I'm sorry about that… I just had a long day," she laughed softly. Darien just wanted to kiss her right there. He found her car and unlocked the passenger's side. He laid her on the leather seat. She watched him walk around the car and sit in the driver's seat. "I haven't thanked you properly yet," she said with a sleepy voice.

"There's no need. I was there at the right time and place, doing what a normal guy would do," Darien said while driving off.

"Yeah, but there were a lot of normal guys in there, but did they do something? I don't think so… So thank you." Serena said softly. He looked good with his hair messed up from the fight and his dress shirt out of his jeans. 'I don't think Darien is as bad as everyone says he is…' Darien just smiled. His heart melted at the sight of this girl shining in the moonlight. He was mesmerized by her beauty. He looked away. He had to say something.

"Serena, I have to tell you something." Having no response he continued. "Ever since I saw you fall into your pool earlier. I've been having weird feelings in the pit of my stomach. My heart beats faster; I lose control of my senses. It's kind of like Superman in the presence of kryptonite. He just loses control of himself. You have the same effect on me, but in a good way. What you do to me is something I have never ever felt before and this intrigues me. I want to get to know you Serena and I mean really know you. I want to know why you're making me feel this way. I want to-" Darien turned towards the blond Belle to find her sleeping peacefully. 'She looks like an angel…' He would've kissed her if he weren't driving. "Oh well… Some other time…"

--

Darien parked in front of their building and saw the valet coming towards him. "Here ya go… Take care of it," said Darien while getting out of the car. He headed to Serena's side, opened the door and picked her up, along with her purse. He shut the door behind him and went into the building. Daniel was sleeping at the counter when he came in. He didn't notice Darien walk in with Serena in his arms. He called the elevator and waited for it to come down. When it did, he was careful not to slam Serena's legs against anything. No one was in the elevator, not even the bell boy. He pressed the pent house button and off they went. Darien looked at the sleeping Serena and admired her beauty. 'How could someone take advantage of someone so innocent?' he thought.

They arrived at the pent house and Darien took out Serena's card key. He slid it through the slot and he opened the door to her apartment. It was really tidy. It was exactly like his apartment, but flipped around. He went up the stairs to her room. He put her gently on the bed and looked at her pleasant face. He caressed her cheek. It was as soft as silk. He slipped her into her covers and grabbed a chair to sit on. He didn't want to leave her. "What are you doing to me Serena?" he whispered. He looked at her beautiful features and his eyes fell onto her mouth. He looked at them intensely and the temptation was too much to resist. He _needed_ to kiss her small pink lips. He bent down and slowly, his lips met hers. He wished she would wake up just like in sleeping beauty so that he could see her eyes again. His hands traveled to meet her tiny palm and he held it softly. He looked at her one last time, before falling into a deep sleep.

--

**Author's notes:** I hope you liked this chapter! They finally meet! Let the real action begin… hehe… Keep sending in reviews please!! It encourages me! =) XOXO =)


	3. Horrible memories

**Disclaimer:** The same…

**Author's note:** I'd like to thank all of my readers! You all gave me positive reviews! I'm glad you all liked the second chapter and I hope you'll like this one as much as you liked the last one. I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while… It's because I'm quite busy at the moment, but I'm trying real hard to find time for my fic… I have a bit of a writer's block too… I know it's soon, but anyways… thanks you guys! Muah! Enjoy!

**Chapter 3**

"Tweet, tweet, tweet!"

Serena slowly opened her eyes to the sweet sound of birds chirping outside. 'Where am I?' she thought. She looked to her side and saw her alarm clock. It read 11:03 AM. 'Funny… I don't remember coming home last night. What happened?' She tried retracing her steps in her mind, but doing so caused her pain. 'Okay, okay. I won't think anymore… It hurts too much… I must've had one too many drinks or I wouldn't have this bad of a headache,' she speculated to herself. Suddenly, she felt something stir in her hand. 'What the…' Serena looked down to her right and saw bushy black hair. 'Oh my god! Oh my god! There's a man in my bedroom, sleeping on my bed, holding my hand. What do I do?' she thought in a panicked state. Her first idea was to jump out of bed and call the police, but then she analyzed the situation. If he was a murderer, he would've slit her throat while she was sleeping and if he was a rapist, she would be naked at that very moment. 'Take deep breaths, Serena. Calm down and let's try to wake him up.'

This intruder intrigued her. She moved her hand closer and closer to his head. She couldn't quite see his face because his hair was covering half of it. 'Let's see what you really look like.' She brushed off his hair delicately with her fingers. She gasped. 'On my God! It's Darien Shields! What the hell is Darien Shields doing in my room?!' She started to panic again. 'What the fuck happened last night?!'

Serena turned quickly towards the hand that was holding her tiny one and stared at his masculine fingers. She looked once more at the sleeping intruder. 'He looks so innocent…' She stared at his faultless features: his mouth where his perfect lips stood, his flawless nose, his chiseled chin. Her eyes rested on his plump but not too full lips. She couldn't get her stare off his mouth and before she knew it, she was a few millimeters away from his face. Darien moved and Serena, startled, stood back to watch him awaken.

Darien opened his eyes and looked around. For a second, he forgot where he was, but when his gaze fell on Serena, he knew he wasn't in his apartment. Serena looked at the multi-billionaire who was staring at her and for what seemed like minutes, their eyes were locked in each other's gaze. Darien felt something warm and small in the palm of his hand. He remembered that he was holding Serena's hand and he turned to look at it. Serena immediately pulled her hand away from his. Reality kicked in. "May I know why you, Darien Shields, are here, in my apartment?"

"It's a long story…" Darien answered in a deep groggy voice.

"Well, I have the right to know!" Serena said a bit angered.

"You really don't have any idea of what happened?" Darien said a little sarcastically.

"No, I don't!"

"I don't think you wanna know, Serena."

"Of course, I do! I wouldn't be asking if I didn't!"

"Some things are better off unsaid," Darien said in a monotonous way.

"C'mon! Why wouldn't… I… wanna… know…" Serena said slowly. Visions of last night were coming back to her: she saw herself walking into the club with Mina. She was having fun. She kept asking the bartender for more drinks. A guy came towards her and offered her a drink. He wanted to touch her. His hand was moving up her thigh and he was kissing her. She was scared, terrified. Her senses weren't working properly. She couldn't move until someone came to her rescue: it was Darien. They fought and Darien brought her home. "Jeff Diamond…" she whispered. Tears were trailing down her cheeks. The emotion was too much for her to handle.

For a few seconds, Darien just watched her cry. He couldn't stand seeing her like this. He regretted not punching the guy even more than he did. He moved closer to her and brought his hands up to her face. He wiped her tears with his thumbs. "Shhh… It's alright now. He won't hurt you ever again." 'I'll make sure of that,' Darien said to himself. Serena couldn't take it anymore. She just broke down in his arms and cried her heart and soul out. She was humiliated and she felt terribly violated. Darien wrapped his arms around the petite blonde and listened to her sniffles. "Shhh…" His hand moved up to caress her soft hair.

"Thank you…" she said between whispering.

Darien just smiled and waited patiently for her to calm down. After a few minutes, Serena looked up at the multi-billionaire with her red teary eyes. The tears had stopped flowing over her flustered cheeks. Darien stared down at the tiny girl he was holding in his arms. 'I can't help but think that she's adorable when she cries,' he thought to himself. Their eyes locked and Darien moved slowly towards Serena's plush lips. He was so close that only a leaf could separate them. He closed his eyes and waited for the moment he had been longing for ever since he saw her fall into the pool. 'Finally…'

"I can't do this…" a small voice said.

For a moment, Darien thought that his imagination was playing tricks on him, so he leaned forward only to find thin air. "I'm sorry. I can't do this…" she repeated in a whisper. Darien opened his eyes to find Serena at the far corner of the bed, her knees wrapped up in her chest. He had a disappointed look on his face and Serena noticed a hint of sadness in his deep blue eyes. She almost felt sorry she didn't close the remaining space between them. Almost. She looked down at her toes and tried to explain herself. "I'm sorry. It's just that um… I don't really know you and after last night, I don't feel too comfortable around uh… you. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure you're a really nice guy despite what the news says… but I don't think that I'll be approaching men too eagerly nowadays… if you know what I mean…"

Darien watched her questioningly. He just wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her that he wouldn't hurt her, that he'd protect her. He wanted to be the one to fight her fears away, to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, to tell her that he was nothing like that bastard Jeff Diamond. He crawled towards her, extending his hand to touch hers.

"Please stay where you are." Serena saw this subtle movement and was immediately startled. Darien, knowing that she was afraid, abruptly put his arm down. Serena had her guard up. She knew that Darien somehow didn't want to harm her, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't want a replay of last night in her own bedroom. To relieve the tension that was building up, she continued pouring out what was in her mind. "I don't really know how to explain what I'm feeling but please understand where this is coming from. Besides, you're Darien Shields and I'm Serena Lawrence. We come from two different worlds. You practically rule the whole city, I live in the city. Why don't we just forget this whole thing happened and go back to our normal lives? I'm just really sorry…"

Darien stared at her with disbelief. He thought for sure that she was going to kiss him. He wasn't used to the feeling of being turned down, but for Serena he felt like he could cope with everything. He'd do anything for her. He knew that she was vulnerable and he didn't want her to think that he was taking advantage of the situation. He knew he couldn't do this here, not like this. But, he was prepared to wait months, years even, for her. "No… You don't have to be sorry. I should be the one who should be sorry. Forgive me… for that last part… I shouldn't have, knowing that you would be uncomfortable especially after last night. I just got caught up in the moment, you know. I guess the hormones kicked in, huh? Maybe I do live up to my reputation…" He said the last part with a sarcastic smile.

Serena smiled back and Darien thought that he could fly. 'She's beautiful…' She now had a huge smile on her face. She was relieved that Darien would understand. 'Hmm… Who would ever think that Darien Shields could be so caring?' she thought. She got up and saw her reflection. She was still dressed in the same attire as last night. She got awful shivers and decided to change. "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Shields, a girl must never wear the same clothes two days in a row." She walked towards her enormous walk-in closet and closed the shutter doors behind her.

'I must find a way to get closer to her,' Darien said to himself, taking a mental note. He walked up to the mirror and blankly stared at himself. 'What's not to like? Do I look like some psychopath? I don't recall looking like that asshole Jeff Diamond… so what's so repulsive about me? What's she afraid of? Why can't she just fall into my arms and say that she wants to be my wife? Okay, whoa there Darien, you're going a little too far there. But, whatever, I'll wait for you Serena. I'll wait,' he thought, looking at the closed wooden doors that were hiding his beloved Serena from him.

A few minutes later, Serena walked out of her closet to find Darien analyzing her from head to toe. She was wearing a red tank top and blue tight fitting jeans. Serena looked at him weirdly. She wasn't wearing some incredible outfit; she was dressed like the girl next door. "What are you looking at?" she said with a smile.

"Um… n-n-nothing… It's just that those jeans look great on you," said Darien with a huge smile on his face.

"Um… right, thanks," Serena said, feeling an awkward moment building up. "How 'bout I go make us some breakfast? Even though it's lunchtime…"

"Yeah, sure! I'm starving!" he replied with a stupid smile on his face along with a hand placed on his stomach. Serena left the room and Darien watched as she disappeared into the kitchen. "Stupid move Darien! Just stupid!" he said to himself while banging his head on the mirror. "Ow!" he said pouting, while rubbing his forehead.

--

Serena walked into her tidy kitchen. She took out a non-stick pan and went to her fridge to get a few eggs. She turned the stove on and cracked the eggs. Her smile immediately disappeared. She was desperate to get the whole last night thing out of her head. She didn't want to live with this humiliation forever. She wanted to return to a few days ago. She hated this feeling of hopelessness which reminded her so much about her past. Tears started to form in her eyes as she reminisced about how she got her heart so horribly broken for the first time.

--Flashback--

"Serena… I don't know how to tell you this… well, actually I do… but… ugh… I'll just say it… I… I… I love you," a tall black-haired man said to her.

"Seiya… I love you too," Serena said with a smile, looking around, in the car. 'This isn't the place I dreamed of you saying it though…' she thought to herself. Serena was so unbelievably happy. It was their six-month anniversary and her boyfriend had finally said the three words she wanted to hear so badly. She loved him so much. He was her first love and he was a pretty good catch. He was so caring, so sweet, so loving. He was just perfect.

"I'm glad to hear it, Serena," Seiya replied, while caressing her soft cheek. "I've got a surprise for you," he continued, starting the car.

"You're always full of surprises aren't you?" she said smiling.

"Anything for my sweet Serena," he said slyly. "First, you have to close your eyes and you have to promise me that you won't open them until we get there, alright?"

"I promise I won't open them 'til we get there, scouts honor," she told him while shutting her eyes.

Twenty minutes later, Serena felt the car stop. "Can I open them now?"

"Not yet, sweetie," Seiya told her lovingly. He got out of the car and went to the passenger's side. He opened the car door and helped Serena get out of the vehicle. She was going crazy inside. She felt the excitement building up in her entire body. She heard Seiya open a few doors and hit himself on furniture. She knew she was some place special and she had goose bumps all over her arms. "Can I open them now?" she asked impatiently.

"Hold on. We're almost there." He held her hands softly as he brought her closer to their destination. "Alright, open your eyes."

"Oh my God…" Serena had lifted her eye lids and she was utterly shocked, but it was a good shock. "This is beyond words, Seiya." Serena stared with disbelief at the scenery below. She looked around and saw a table for two neatly decorated. 'I've heard of candlelit dinners but this is way too amazing,' she thought to herself, looking at her surroundings. Candles were all over the place, giving the balcony a soft and romantic feeling. She moved to the edge of the balcony. She watched in amazement while the brilliance of New York City stood before her eyes. Lights were shining all over the city; it looked so calm compared to what it really was during the day. She recognized a few buildings that were the pride and joy of New York. She looked at the Statue of Liberty in all its glory. Everything was in its place. It was so different that Serena couldn't believe she grew up in this town without really seeing its true nature. For the first time, she appreciated New York for what it was. She forgot the noise of cars honking during traffic, the ton of people crowding the streets and the tall buildings that were hovering above. Tonight, the former image of her hometown was replaced by a mesmerizing show of calmness and serenity. It was a beauty that couldn't be described with words. It was too perfect, just like Seiya. "How did… how did…" Serena stuttered.

"How'd I do all this?" finished Seiya. "Naturally, I didn't do all this by myself. I had a few people pitch in. I didn't rent this mansion with my savings alone."

"M-mansion?" Serena said while turning around. Gasping, she covered her mouth with her hands. The mansion was huge. She couldn't believe her eyes. This made her love Seiya even more. "How'd you pay for all this?"

"With the help of your father of course. A really nice guy your father by the way, and if I may point out, extremely generous as well. When I told him about my plans for our big night, he was filled with gratitude and told me he just had to help out. And, that's what he did, money wise obviously. He even found this place. I mean I wanted a place like this, but I just didn't know where to find one."

"Well Seiya, I think you've outdone yourself. This is just incredible. I mean… wow. This is better than anything I've ever dreamed about. This is like straight out from a movie."

"I'm guessing you like it," he said with a smile.

"Are you crazy?! I love it!" Serena said, while a smile illuminated her face.

"Good, I'm glad," Seiya replied softly. Serena turned towards him and looked into his eyes. The soft dim light created by the candles offered the perfect atmosphere for what was about to happen. Seiya gently lifted Serena's chin and stared deep into her eyes. "I love you, Serena." Slowly, he closed the gap between them with his lips. He caressed her cheek with his hand and with the other, he brought her closer to him. Serena felt her knees go weak. Her heart was beating so fast she thought that it would burst out of her system. She wrapped her arms around his neck and fondled with the hair on his nape. "How 'bout we skip dinner?" Seiya asked, pulling back. Serena laughed. "Well… I'm not that hungry…" she replied mischievously.

"Good. We'll take a midnight snack later on, but right now… to the bedroom!" Seiya said in superhero kind of way. He swept Serena into his arms and carried her into the mansion. Serena was laughing hysterically. She was in heaven. On the way to the master's courtiers, Seiya wasn't afraid of stealing a few kisses. She also didn't fail to see the many petals lying all over the floor. Candles were everywhere, creating a path to the second floor. She was so very in love with this man. He carried her up the golden stairs and worked his way through the hallway, until they finally arrived in front of the bedroom. Seiya opened the door, careful not to drop Serena. He walked in with his damsel in his arms and locked the door behind him. He laid Serena on top of the king-sized bed and stared into her beautiful blue eyes. Serena had a look filled of love. "I love you so much, Seiya." Seiya smiled before kissing her all over again.

--End of Flashback--

Serena slightly smiled at the thought of that specific memory. It could've been one of her favorites if only it didn't bring awful consequences into her life. Tears slowly trickled down her cheek as she remembered the only thing that caused her so much pain that even after a few years, she still cried about it.

--Flashback--

Serena's old high school…

"I estimate that the number of electrons in..."

Serena walked through the outdoor campus overhearing the conversation of two nerdy students. She wasn't one of the most known people of the school, but ever since she started dating Seiya, a lot of students she didn't know knew her. She blended in the crowd wearing a plain white knee-long skirt and a purple button down sweater that ended at her elbows. She was a pretty serious student and the way she dressed reflected that personality trait. She had a huge smile on her face. She couldn't stop thinking about the previous night. Seiya was just the perfect guy. He prepared such a great evening and Serena knew she was never going to forget it. Her smile grew bigger at the thought of what had happened in the room yesterday night.

"Hey there, girl! We can see your smile from a mile away! Heck, I bet we can see it from Pluto!" a cheery voice said.

Serena could distinguish that voice anywhere. "Shut up, Mina!"

"I will if you tell me about last night! So spill!" Mina said impatiently.

"You wouldn't believe what he had planned for me! It was indescribable! He was in it with my dad! He rented this HUGE mansion with the most perfect view of New York City! He had decorated the whole place with rose petals and candles! Oh Mina! It was sooooooo perfect!" Serena told her ecstatically.

"You're so lucky, Sere! I wanna get a guy like that! Anyways… what about after the whole amazement thing? Did you guys… um… get it on? Huh? Huh?" her best friend asked, while gently elbowing her friend in the ribs.

"I would be lying if I said no…" Serena replied shyly.

"Oh my God, my little Sere is growing up! Was it good? Was it bad? Was it big or was it the size of a tic-tac? Was it excruciating?" Mina asked in one breath, saying the last thing with horror.

"It was wonderful…" responded Serena with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"You're so in love Serena, it's nauseating…" said Mina with a disgusted look on her face.

"Oh stop it Mins… You're just jealous…" spat Serena, thinking of herself as a queen.

"Oh puh-lease, Serena! I've had my share of guys and my lovey-dovey moments. They didn't all turn out to be peachy! I wouldn't be surprised if this relationship ends in a few weeks or so. You know, Sere, some guys go all out for some chick at the beginning, but end up leaving them because they got what they wanted. And it turns out that all they wanted in the first place was to get into a girl's pants! So don't come tell me that I'm jealous 'cause I know what love means to guys."

"Whatever Mina…" Serena looked at her so-called best friend with rage in her eyes. Mina then turned around to join another group of friends. Serena couldn't believe her! How could Mina be so cruel? Who did she think she was telling her that her relationship was gonna be over in a few weeks? Why would she say things like that about Seiya? Serena couldn't deny the fact that there was some truth to her ranting because she knew that Mina had a lot of experience with guys, but Seiya wouldn't desert her right? Why would he go spend his savings and ask her dad for help? Why would he plan such an evening? Serena thought about what Mina said. 'Get into a girl's pants… No way! Seiya wouldn't do that! Would he? Nah…' she thought. 'There's just too much he's done for me. Plus, he proved his love for me last night.'

Serena was now in the school building and she watched as the most popular girl at school talked to a group of friends. Raye was her name and she was a real bitch too. Of course she was popular! Everyone knew about her whereabouts and what she did the night before. She never kept her mouth shut. Every guy drooled when she walked in their hallway. She knew everything about everyone and everyone knew everything about her. She also didn't miss to glance Serena's way with a knowing smile. 'Does she know about last night? But how? Why would Seiya go tell her?'

Serena shrugged it off and made her way through the forming crowd, towards her locker. "Hey Serena! Wait a second!"

Serena turned around to find Raye trying to get a hold of her. 'What the hell?' she thought.

"Um… can we go somewhere where we can be alone? There's something that I need to tell you. It's about Seiya," said Raye seriously.

"Seiya? What's wrong with Seiya? Did he get into an accident or something? Is he hurt?" asked Serena in a panicked state. The thought of Seiya dead or hurt would devastate her.

"No, no. It's nothing like that. Come in here. I didn't want this thing to spread around before you knew." Raye dragged Serena into an open classroom and closed the door behind her. Serena was somewhat relieved to hear that her love didn't lose a leg or wasn't in some tomb. "Maybe you should sit down…" said Raye.

"No, no. I'm fine." Serena was getting quite irritated by the calmness and fake sincerity coming from Raye's voice.

"If you say so…"

"Will you just tell me already? You're not exactly the type of company I like you know…"

"I know you must hate me, just like all the other girls do... but, since I always get the word first, I just wanted to tell you." Seeing Serena's impatient eyes, Raye decided to continue. "You know how the word spreads around and always ends up with me or I start the word and it ends up in everyone's mouth. Well, the word spread around, but not to everyone, and it obviously ended up on me. Knowing that I still had some good in me, I decided to tell you first. Get the facts straight, you know. So let's start. Seiya and you have been dating for six months, am I not correct?"

"You are."

"And do you recall about six months ago, the first football game of the season?"

"Yeah."

"You were sitting pretty close to the team. Do you remember seeing the football team, or in other words the jocks, having some sort of pep talk?"

"Yeah." Serena was getting angry. She wasn't patient when it came to Seiya. "What the fuck is this trip down memory lane for?!"

"Don't worry I have a point. Just try to keep the fire for Seiya." 'Huh?' Serena thought. "May I ask you what happened after the pep talk ended?"

"Seiya came up to me, while I was waiting for the game to start in the stands. He told me that he had a crush on me for some time and that he wanted me to be his girlfriend. I said yes. Of course I remember that day!"

"Righto! Now let me point out a few things that love had probably blinded you from that night. Don't you think that it was weird how Seiya just came up to you out of nowhere, when he didn't even know you? Don't you think it was peculiar how he just talked to you as if you were his best friend while he hadn't noticed you around the school? How could he even have a crush on you when you weren't in any of his classes?"

Serena was in a state of deep realization. She never thought about all this. She always thought of that day as a miracle. She remembered being oh so very alone until Seiya asked her to be his girlfriend. What the hell was Raye trying to tell her? Was this all a setup? Was this all fake? Was their love untrue? Serena, not wanting to let her emotions to show, decided to keep her head tall. Raye, seeing Serena's discomfort and pathetic attempt to cover up her feelings, continued. "I was a cheerleader and I was flipping and jumping around, getting the crowd amped up. I got pretty close to that gang of doofuses, so I obviously know what happened that day. I overheard them talking about you. They were making fun of you Serena. They were saying things like "she's such a loser" or "she's so invisible I bet we wouldn't see her sitting on some bench", until some shmuck, Shawn if you wanna know, decided to open his mouth. He had the brilliant idea of doing a bet and the lucky winner of the bet was none other than Seiya. And guess what he did? He accepted it without hesitation! He thought it was so cruel and gruesomely evil. Wanna know what it was? He was supposed to ask you out, which he did, and then pretend that he loved you for six months. And how long has it been Serena?"

Serena was now shocked. Raye was telling her this as if it was a child's story. She didn't wanna listen to her anymore. She kept telling herself that it was all a joke, that Raye was a bitch and just wanted to make her life miserable, but some part of her couldn't help but think it was the truth. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. Raye continued her little speech. "Oh, there's more Serena. At the end of the six months, he was supposed to brake up with you. Has he done it yet? Nope, but he will. He told the whole football team about his little planned night with you. That's how I knew that he was going to brake up with you today and tell you the whole damn truth. You can choose to believe it or not, but I swear it's the truth. You can go ask Seiya himself if you want or you can wait 'til he comes to you. I bet you didn't think this was possible last night."

Serena couldn't contain her sadness. She was trembling with fear. Fear of the truth. Her world was crumbling down. Her newfound dreams were falling to pieces. The happiness she thought was real was just a façade. How could Seiya do this to her? She thought so much of him. She even thought that he could be the one. The perfect world he helped her build was just a figment of her imagination. It couldn't be possible! Raye was wrong! Seiya wouldn't do this! Raye was just jealous, just like Mina… She tried convincing herself that that was the true reason for Raye's behavior, but what could possibly be her motives? Serena never talked to her and she never talked to her, until this day. Serena just had to find out herself. What was going on?

Serena got up, grabbed her books and decided to ask Seiya herself. She needed to hear it from his own mouth. She swiftly wiped her tears away on the sleeve of her sweater and took long strides towards the door. All this time, Raye was sitting patiently on a desk. She got up to follow Serena. "The truth hurts Serena!" she screamed before receiving a slammed door in front of her face. Raye watched as Serena walked down the hallway towards the football field. She didn't refrain from keeping the evil grin that was making its way onto her face.

--

Serena jogged her way to the football field. That was the usual hang out spot of the "popular people". She used to be forbidden to go to that specific place before she started going out with Seiya. Will she be banned from it again? The thought of losing all her privileges was too much for Serena. Add Seiya at the top of the list and it was unbearable. Serena wiped off the few tears that found their way to her chin. She was almost there and she didn't want Seiya to see her in this state. It was already enough of an embarrassment to have been told the truth by an enemy. She had to look strong even though she most certainly wasn't.

She watched from afar as the most popular people of the college laughed their asses off as if it was New Year's Eve. She approached them. They somehow all grew silent. "Hey Seiya! Hey guys!" she said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. As a response, she got a few glares and mumbles. "Um, Seiya, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked with courage.

"Sure. Go right ahead." There was something different about him. Something in his eyes told her that he had somehow changed.

"Um… In private?"

"Oh yeah, sure." They both walked away, leaving the rest of the gang whispering. Serena knew that they were talking about them. Was Raye right?

The couple was far enough from the group so they wouldn't be able to hear and close enough so that they didn't lose sight of them. Serena decided that it was time to face her fears. "Seiya, is there something you wanna tell me?"

"Um… no. Well… yeah, actually."

Serena prepared for the worst. 'This is it,' she thought. 'This is the end of me.'

"You look beautiful today, Serena."

Despite the fact that this compliment pleased her, she knew she had to get the truth out of him. "Um… thanks Seiya, but if you really do have something you wanna tell me, please tell me now."

Seiya had a questioning look on his face. "Sere, is there something YOU wanna tell me? 'Cause I really have no idea of what you're talking about. Really."

At that moment, Serena thought she saw honesty in his eyes and she had hope, but this lasted only for a second when Shawn, Seiya's best friend, walked up to them with a handful of money. "Here you go, man. Good job!"

Seiya took what his best friend was holding and put it in his pocket. "Thanks man," said Seiya nonchalantly. His best friend walked away and gave two thumbs up to the rest of his friends.

"What was that all about?" asked Serena.

"Um… it was nothing…" answered Seiya with a shrug.

"It couldn't have been nothing! I mean it's important enough for Shawn to let the whole gang know!" Serena was mad now. She couldn't stand being lied to, especially by someone she loved.

"Shawn just owed me a couple of bucks and he decided to give it to me at the wrong time."

Serena could see that Seiya was trying to find excuses and he was avoiding her gaze. "Seiya, just tell me what you have to say. Tell me what you need to tell me to deserve that money. Tell me it's finished between us. Just get it over with."

Seiya stared at her with disbelief. How did she find out? It would be better now that she knew. It would hurt less. "Who told you about the… about the…"

"The bet?" she asked with a small smirk. Seiya nodded in return. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you were toying with my feelings. I thought you were the perfect guy, but I was so terribly wrong. Mina was right, you are all the same. You guys just have one purpose: to bone girls. You have no idea how much you hurt me and you don't have any clue of how much I loved you. You are just some heartless bastard who takes pride in hurting others. I thought you loved me, Seiya. I thought you really loved me. But you know what? I don't know what the hell came over me! I knew about your reputation, about your careless self! Deep down inside me, I knew you were an asshole. And you still are! You're nothing but a pretty face and when it comes to ladies, you put on your best smile and voila! Everything's just perfect! You always get what you want. You arrogant cunt!" Serena was pouring her whole heart out and she was panting. Her head was pounding because of all this frustration.

"You didn't seem to think about me like that last night," Seiya replied with a huge smirk.

--**BAM!**--

Serena's hand went flying in the air to land right on Seiya's cheek. She had just slapped him. How could he be so cool about this? How could he just stand there and talk about her love life like a joke? Seiya turned around rapidly and in shock. He didn't know she was capable of such a thing. Serena looked at his cheek to find a red mark growing more and more visible. She was surprised at herself and kind of proud. This lasted only a few seconds, for when she landed her gaze upon Seiya's eyes, she knew that all hell was going to brake loose. She knew all too well Seiya's temper. She had seen him multiple times fight with other gangs and quarrel with Shawn, his best friend.

"You fucking bitch!!!" he screamed at her face, sending bits of spit into the air. Serena was now afraid and regretted slapping him. "Did you really think that I could've loved someone like you?! You ungrateful little slut! Look at yourself! Look at me! Look at them!" he shouted, pointing at his friends. "Personally, I don't care about what you think. All of this was all fun and games, you're right. I admit it. But I DON'T FUCKING CARE! Why would I have laid my eyes on you? Without me you would be the equivalent of an ant! I had no idea you existed 'til Shawn over there decided to make a bet. I thought it would be fun and I knew that if I played the part right, I would be able to get something in return. And you know what? I did! Thanks for the best fuck I've ever had! You were nothing but a pawn on MY chessboard, a means of getting to my goals, my interests, which are obviously not you. You were worth it and by it, I mean the shitload of money I got just now. So I thank you dear Serena for your ignorance and stupidity."

Every word that Serena heard coming out of Seiya's mouth just kept twisting the knife even further into her heart. Tears were overflowing her face. She was sobbing so hard that she was gasping for air. Seiya didn't even care about her. It was all a joke to him. There wasn't even a sign of pity in his eyes, there was only a look of utter disgust. Suddenly, a pair of arms came to envelop Seiya's torso. "The truth hurts, Serena," a voice said from behind her ex. Serena knew that voice… it was…

"Raye, glad you could join us!" said Seiya. He then grabbed her hand and twirled her around so that she was in front of him. She then pulled Seiya's head down to hers and started kissing him ferociously, as if there was no tomorrow. He made sure Serena got the picture. Watching this, Serena had another hit from reality. He was cheating on her for six months. She was right about Raye. She was a real bitch who wanted to make her life miserable. She pretended to be Serena's friend, but now, Serena knew that her world and their world would never be able to mix. She didn't know that such a pain could ever exist. This was unbearable. If she could give half the pain she was feeling now to someone else, the pain would still be a heavy burden on her shoulders. "Fuck you, Seiya! And fuck you, Raye! You can both go to hell!" Serena turned around and ran towards the school's exit. "Ah!" Serena felt herself falling through the air to finally land on the dirt that was covering the football field. "Ow…" She got up and removed the excess dirt that was gripping at the fabric of her clothes. She listened closely and heard Seiya's friends laughing their hearts out behind her. She ran faster towards her only escape and found Mina playing soccer with her classmates. She was about to have gym class when she saw Serena in tears. "Oh my God! Serena what's wrong?" she asked, forgetting earlier's incident. She accidentally kicked the ball a little too hard and it ended up going towards the football field.

"I-I-I c-can't talk right now… I n-need to g-go home…" Serena said between sobs.

"Holy shit… I'll go with you…"

Serena didn't have the force to say no and she needed to confide in her best friend, so she just nodded in approval. Mina grabbed her things and the two girls exited the school's premises in each other's arms. Serena had to look back one more time at her first love. She turned to look at him from afar and quickly turned back for it was painful to see him. 'I'll make sure he pays…' Serena thought. And just then, a soccer ball came through the air to hit a kissing couple on the head, in the football field.

--End of Flashback--

Serena was now in tears, over her counter. She remembered that day like it was yesterday. She could feel the pain she felt a few years ago at her old school. She clearly remembered the football field and the people she thought she could trust. She remembered Raye's cruelty and her thoughts immediately rested on Seiya. A new batch of tears flowed from her sad eyes to the end of her face. She could remember how she felt about their one-sided love and the terrible fate that had been reserved for her. She was oblivious to the fact that her kitchen was filling up with smoke.

"Jesus, Serena!" Darien screamed, running into the kitchen. Serena turned around at the shout of her name and saw that the pan containing the eggs was in flames. Darien, acting quickly, grabbed a cloth and scooped up the pan. He had a determined and calm look on his face, the complete opposite of Serena's expression. She, on the contrary, was scared and was trying to hide her panic, which obviously wasn't working. Darien was scanning the room for some place to shove the pan into.

"T-The pool!" Serena said, pointing in its direction. Darien, hearing this, scurried to the sliding doors and tried opening one, with difficulty. He looked at Serena for help. Seeing his pleading face, Serena ran quickly to his rescue and while carefully avoiding the flames, opened the door swiftly. Darien hurried out and dumped the pan, along with the burned eggs into the pool. 'Well, this is a great way to start the day!' thought Darien with a small smile. He turned to look at Serena who was staring blankly at their swimming breakfast. "Serena? Are you okay?"

Startled, Serena answered softly. "Yeah… I'm fine…"

"Is it because of the breakfast?" Darien asked, sounding cheery. He knew perfectly well that it wasn't because of the burned food, but he wanted to brighten up the situation. He knew that it was the same reason she backed away from him in her room that was preoccupying her thoughts. Despite the fact that his question was stupid and inappropriate at this time, Serena thought it was an interesting attempt to get her humor back. She smiled a small smile at his worried figure. Darien knew that she wouldn't tell him what was bothering her and he didn't blame her. When the time was right, she would open up to him. Besides, he wasn't exactly her friend. He was just the guy who saved her from some creep. Darien just stared at her knowingly. "How 'bout I try to make breakfast this time? But, if I get the same result as you, don't be too surprised." Serena laughed wholeheartedly at his comment.

--

"Andrew almost got fired after that attempt at being the boss' favorite!" Darien finished one his anecdotes with a laugh. He looked at Serena who was equally laughing. 'She has such a wonderful laugh.' Serena, noticing that she was laughing alone, turned to him. "What? Is there something in my teeth?"

Darien, caught off guard, wanted to cover his mistake and said the first thing that came to his mind. "Yeah… actually you do." 'You're an idiot, Darien!' he thought, scowling himself.

"Really? Where?" Serena asked curious. Darien thought for sure she was gonna scream at him for pointing out something that was oh so humiliating to some girls. But then, he thought 'Serena isn't like most girls…' So he continued his little game.

"Right there," he said, pointing to some place in her teeth.

"Here?"

"Nope, the one next to it."

"Over here?"

"No, the next one."

"Here?"

"Yup." He waited patiently while she picked at a spot between two teeth that had absolutely nothing.

"Is it gone?" she asked irritated.

"Nope, not quite."

"How 'bout now?"

"Still there." A smile was making its way on his lips.

"Now?" she asked, while looking at her finger to see if any particle whatsoever of egg was on it. Darien couldn't keep it in anymore. A burst of laughter escaped from his throat as Serena discovered his little joke.

"There is nothing between my teeth, is there," she asked, but it was more of an affirmation than a question. Darien just nodded, still laughing. Serena, outraged, got up and walked towards Darien. He was still laughing like it was the funniest joke of the year. He saw her walking towards him and decided to calm down. She had a mean look on her face. Catching his breath, he kneeled at her feet, his hands together in a prayer kind of way. "Oh please, fair maiden, spare me! I have a family, three kids and a wife!" Seeing Darien's dramatic change to an English man, Serena could only smile and laugh. "Oh get up! Get up!" she said happily, pulling his shoulders up. Darien, seeing her smile, wanted to keep it on her face as long as he could. "Oh dear lady! I must thank you for your kindness! I shall never forget this! Please take these golden coins! It's all I have!" he started laughing hysterically and so did she.

"Mr. Shields pull yourself together!" she said laughing.

"Alright, alright." He got up, took the dishes and the utensils and put them in the sink. He turned the faucet on.

"You don't have to do that. You know perfectly well that there are maids who would gladly scrub those plates."

"Well, well, well! Now we know who's lazy in this building!"

"Oh! How dare you!" Serena replied while slapping him gently on the arm.

A few minutes followed, while Darien cleaned the dishes. Serena just stared at her toes. The silence was getting a little too heavy, she had to say something. "Um… Don't you have to go to work or something?"

"I could ask the same to you. And I'm surprised that you don't listen to the news Serena. If you did, you would know that my company is falling apart. I lost quite a few investments overseas to this other company, Blake Corporation. So I'm kinda free of work, but not exactly," he said, wiping his hands on a nearby cloth.

"Oh right. I saw it on the news the other day. It just slipped my mind. As to me, I don't work."

"Ah! Yet another sign of your laziness," Darien said playfully.

"I am not lazy! If you didn't know, my dad used to work for your company! So did my grandfather! They both gave what they have to me. My dad knows your dad pretty well, though it's been a while that they've seen each other."

"So you're the lazy one in the family. What did you say your last name was?"

"Lawrence and I repeat, I am not lazy."

"Denial… denial… Did you know your grandfather was one of the wealthiest people back then? He's one of my idols! In my younger days, he was the image that kept going. Other than that, I'm glad to hear your family's story, but not working because you're financially secure isn't a reason. You can accomplish so much when you work. I mean it didn't stop me from working. I have billions behind me, but it didn't keep me from dirtying my hands!"

"Yeah that's easy for you to say! I'm sure you were born with the right qualities! You were a born leader and still are! I'm just a normal girl who can just clean her apartment and doesn't look beyond the first two blocks unless it's for shopping!"

"You're wrong Serena, judging by the way you're answering right now, I can see that you are a very diplomatic person. You have lots of potential, I'm sure."

Serena watched him being not a brute, but a seriously devoted man, a man loving his line of work and desperate to find a solution to his problems. Not only that, but Serena saw something else in him, something she never thought a man like Darien Shields could ever have. She couldn't quite see what it was, but she had to find out. 'Curiosity killed the cat, Serena!' she thought to herself. It was weird. Darien was actually being nice. You learn something new everyday, but this was beyond what she could have found. She smiled shyly, accepting his compliments. "You really think I have potential, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah I do," he replied.

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome, Miss Lawrence."

Serena liked the way he pronounced her name. It sounded so natural on his tongue. This man was intriguing her and she was desperate to find out what was bringing all these questions to her, questions she never thought she would ask herself.

"Well Serena. I have to go. I have to get a hold on Andrew, my partner. We some problems to sort out."

Snapping out of her reverie, Serena looked at him. "Oh yeah, sure."

Darien grabbed his cell phone that he left in her room and followed her to the door. 'Funny how we never knew we lived right beside each other's apartments,' he thought. "I'd like to thank you for your hospitality, Serena."

"No, no, I must thank YOU. You've been really kind. Kicking people's asses for me, saving my kitchen from burning eggs…" she said smiling coyly.

Darien laughed. "It was no problem."

Serena opened the door for him as he walked out of her apartment. He stood in her doorway for a few seconds just staring at her. Serena watched him weirdly. "Your apartment's right there, Mr. Shields."

"Right," he turned around and walked two steps to his door. He looked back at the blond beauty.

"For what it's worth, Darien, I found things in you that I would've never thought a man like you could ever have."

"Uh… thanks, I guess. I have a feeling we'll see each other more often, Serena." With those last words, he walked into his apartment and shut the door, but not before taking one last look at the girl he saved.

Serena closed her door as well. She looked at her apartment. She felt strangely alone and the silence was unbearable. She thought about what had just happened in her apartment. 'I actually had Darien Shields sleep over. Darien Shields! Out of all people!' she smiled at the thought of him. 'Stop it, Serena! You're acting like a college girl who just got her first kiss!' She shuddered as she remembered her past. She quickly replaced it with the thought of Darien. 'This is the beginning of a new friendship,' she thought with a smile.

--

**Author's note:** Hope you liked this one! There's not a lot of action in this one. I thought you guys should know more about Serena's past and the reason why she was so freaked out by that guy, Jeff Diamond. She hasn't been approaching men for a while and the first guy who comes to say hi is some psycho who just wants her in his bed. Ring a bell? Just like Seiya… What a bastard… Anyways… I dunno when I'll post the next chapter, so be patient people! I'd like to thank one of my best buddies, who is also a fanfic writer, but in the Harry Potter category, for helping me out with this chap. I'll see you guys in the next chap! Ciao! Muah! XOX


	4. Is fate working it's magic?

**Disclaimer:** Same as always…

**Author's note:** Hey people! It's me again! Thanks once again for all the reviews, I seriously appreciate it. Well it's summer vacation and it is a time to escape the country and find new surroundings, which I'm gonna do. Don't fret though people! I'll keep posting up chapters when I come back. In the meantime… enjoy this part of the story!

**Chapter 4**

"Guess that's the end of that…" Darien said to himself sadly. Serena lived right next door, but he couldn't help thinking that it was as if she lived a thousand miles away. 'How am I supposed to get under her shell? She's built some kind of wall around herself. Every time she tries to let loose, she just keeps adding concrete to the wall. Why? What's she afraid of?' he thought.

**DRING! DRING!**

Before he could continue his stream of thoughts, his cell phone began to ring. Darien looked at the caller ID and saw the words El estupido. He opened up his silver cellular. "What do you want, Andrew?" he barked.

"Whoa! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed! Or in some certain girl's bed…" he said with a small chuckle.

"Oh shut up, Drew! For your information, I did not, and I repeat, did not sleep with her," he told him irritated.

"Aha! So you DID fuck her!" Andrew said with a big smile.

"Drew, I told you she was different and I wasn't gonna take advantage of her, alright?"

"Okay, okay. Geez, man, I was just joking around. You forget that I am your best friend and that I know you like the back of my hand. For instance, I know the size of your -"

"Drew, why'd ya call me?" Darien said with a smile, cutting his best friend off before he could mention his member, not that it was small or anything… His best friend was a total joker. He had a great sense of humor and Darien had to forgive him for this mental illness.

"First, I wanted to ask you about your night. Secondly, I wanted to talk to you about our financial standing. We're going from multi-billionaires to full-time bums!"

"Damn, Drew! Why'd you have to go and remind me of that?"

"Sorry, man… but it is my duty as your friend to remind you of horrible things, not to mention annoy you," he said with a smirk.

"You're doing a great job at it, so far," Darien said. "How 'bout we discuss it tonight at dinner? At some restaurant or something?"

"We can't go to another restaurant, Dare! Remember what happened last time we wanted to have a quiet dinner to talk about Shields INC.? A ton of reporters invaded the place!" said Andrew hysterically.

"You're right. You wouldn't wanna be on the first page with the headline 'Multi-billionaires to full-time bums' above our heads." There was a slight pause. "Okay then, my place at 7." Andrew wasn't answering on the other line. Darien, knowing what this silence meant, added. "I won't be cooking, Drew."

"Thank God…" Andrew had somehow got his voice back. "Alright then. See ya tonight."

"Later." Darien closed his cell phone.

--

Serena stared at her fluffy plush carpet and was startled to see Blaze trotting towards her with his adorable puppy dog eyes. "Oh I'm sorry boy. You must be hungry. C'mon." She walked into her kitchen, with Blaze at her trail, and filled up his dog bowl with IAMS dog food. Knowing he'd be thirsty, she filled another one with fresh clean water. "Bon appétit!"

**RRRRING! RRINGG!**

Serena patted her dog on the head and went to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"How long have you been up, Missy? I told you to call me first thing in the morning! I was worried sick about you!"

Serena rolled her eyes. "Good morning to you too, Mins."

"Oh don't give me that tone, Sere."

"You sound like my mother," Serena replied with a small smile.

"Ugh, just tell me what happened!"

Serena began her story and told her what had happened when she woke up. She didn't forget to put lots of detail into her descriptions or tell her what she was feeling at specific moments.

"Holy shit, Sere! Do you know how incredibly lucky you are?! I mean, how many girls get to sleep with Darien? And sleep, in its original sense," said Mina excitedly.

"Why are you so surprised about this Mina? He just brought me home, being the nice guy that he is, and stayed by my side just to see if I would be okay. It's nothing big, it's -"

"Sere, are you listening to yourself?"

"What?"

"Are you listening to yourself? Before you met Darien, you used to think he was some spoiled-ass rich asshole who fucked girls as a sport! Look at you now! You're describing him like he's Prince William!"

"I am not! I still think that he has this arrogant -"

"Get real, Sere! Admit it; you've got something for Darien Shields!" Mina exclaimed ecstatically.

"How can you say that Mins?! I mean, I've only met him once or twice and that isn't much time to get to know the guy!"

"Sere, the way you described your morning to me was enough to know that you have a little thing for him. You didn't leave out any details! You told me everything from beginning to end as if it was your favorite book!"

Mina's words were sinking into her. 'But that's impossible!' thought Serena. 'I would know, right?' she shrugged her thoughts away. "Mina, you're overreacting."

"I am not! I'm telling you this is fate's doing!" said Mina with sparkling eyes.

"Oh please! Don't start that again! You know I don't believe in that!" replied Serena, irritated.

"Look at the facts Sere! You've never fallen into your pool before, but fate decided that that night, when you eavesdropped on Darien's convo-"

"I did not eavesdrop!"

Mina ignored her protest and continued. "When you eavesdropped on Darien's convo, you had to klutz out."

"Get real, Mina!"

"Let me finish. Then, last night, out of all the clubs in this city, he just had to be in the one we were in. And, out of all the guys that were there, he was the one that saved you from that Diamond creep! I mean, even the bartender could've helped you out. I'm telling you Serena, this is all fate's doing. I just know it," Mina finished, fists clenched.

"Okay, Mins… For one, I do not like Darien and for two, I do not believe in fate! This is all just some weird coincidence!"

"Sere! Open your eyes! Look around you!"

Serena did just that. "What now?"

"Ugh, you don't even know cupid's arrow hit your firm butt!" said Mina with a hint of sadness.

"Oh God Mina! Will you stop it with all this superstition?! Today was just a one time thing! It's not like he's gonna become my best friend!"

"He better not be!" Mina said indignantly.

"My point is that this was a one time thing and we're all gonna go back to our normal lives now: he'll go back to his luxury and I'll go back to my mediocre life."

"But Serena!"

"Mina just let it go. He's probably forgotten all about me now," said Serena with a hint of sadness.

"Fine, but I ain't happy about it," replied Mina with a frown.

"I know exactly what can cheer you up though," Serena said coyly. Mina immediately knew what she was about to utter and they both exclaimed. "SHOPPING!!"

--

Hours later…

"God I love shopping!" Mina exclaimed as both girls walked back towards the car, both hands filled with shopping bags from the most luxurious stores.

"I know! It's a total picker-upper!" exclaimed Serena. "I even forgot about Darien! I'm getting kinda hungry. Let's go grab a bite at that Chinese place over there."

"Uh… Serena…?" said an uneasy Mina.

"What?" replied the other blond beauty while shoving all their bags into the trunk of her car.

"I don't think you're gonna forget Darien for long," Mina said, pointing at one of the windows of the restaurant.

Serena then turned around and looked at what her best friend was pointing at. 'Just my luck,' she thought. 'Right when I finally get my mind off of him, there he is looking like the Adonis of my dreams, handsome, strong… What am I thinking?! Is it possible that I- No, Serena! It's impossible! It's impossible because all your life you've hated his guts and 24 hours can't possibly change anything!'

Mina watched Serena's eyes glimmer at the sight of Darien, but then quickly change as she internally convinced herself of something that isn't true. Mina took this as the perfect opportunity to use her matchmaking skills. "Sere? I think I see Andrew in there! Let's go say hi!"

"Are you kidding Mina?! The whole point of us going out was to AVOID Darien, not to socialize with him!"

"Fine, you can stay here, like an idiot, suffering from the digestion of your own stomach, or you can come with me, eat a wonderful meal which might be paid by yours truly," said Mina with a goofy knowing smile.

Serena looked at her with a look that meant 'I think you know the answer' and replied. "I think I'll stay in the car, thanks."

"Serena, you can be so stubborn sometimes! But suit yourself! I'm gonna eat that Tao on my own!" Mina said while walking away.

Serena watched her walk towards the two bachelors. 'Ugh… fine,' she thought as she rolled her eyes and started walking to what might be a very awkward moment.

--

"I still can't believe you almost burned down my whole kitchen! You're supposed to be the better cook!" said a mocking Darien.

"Shut up! I just left it there two seconds alright! I had a lot of things on my mind."

"I wonder what or should I say who?" he said knowingly. "Well what do ya know…"

"Hello gentlemen!" exclaimed Mina as she stood beside their table near the window.

"Mina! What are you doing here?" asked an ecstatic, yet surprised Andrew.

"Oh, I was doing some shopping and I saw you guys from where we were parked and-"

"We?" asked Darien.

"Yeah. Serena and I," replied Mina, raising her eyebrows with a hopeful look.

At that second, Serena walked into the restaurant and towards them. 'She's as pretty as ever…' Darien thought. 'She doesn't see me the same way though… Why am I telling myself all these things? I never used to be so careful. I'm Darien Shields! I can have any woman I want. But why her?' As she neared to a stop at their table, their eyes locked for a split second only to be ended by her turning to Andrew. "Hello, Andrew. Darien," she said in an executive tone.

"Nice to see you again, Serena!" replied Andrew.

"Likewise," Serena said. 'My heart is beating so fast! Why? There's nothing to be nervous about. I'm just having dinner with Darien. Dinner with Darien… That sounds nice… Oh for Christ's sake, Serena! You're not alone with him or anything! Get a grip! It's just a normal get together at a restaurant.'

"You girls must be starving! Have a seat," said Andrew while the waiter brought another table to annex to theirs and two other chairs for the ladies.

"Um, no that'll be okay. I'm sure we were interrupting something important," Serena said, as she tried to find an excuse to move to another table. Mina gave her an angry look.

"Oh, no, no. Please, join us. The waiter already brought the table and everything. We aren't that repulsive, are we? I'll even offer to pay for whatever you guys order," said Andrew, smiling.

"Alright!" exclaimed Mina, quickly sitting beside Andrew. She couldn't resist a free meal.

"Mina!" whispered Serena through clenched teeth. After standing there for what felt like an eternity, she sat beside Darien.

"May I take your order?" asked a tall and skinny Asian man to the new arrivals.

"I'll have the half general Tao and half rice plate. Thank you," said a starved Mina.

"I'll have the same, except with two dumplings on the side without the sauce, wonton soup and a side-dish of steamed vegetables," replied Serena.

"You have quite the appetite, Miss Lawrence," said Darien with a coy smile.

"All the shopping made me hungry! Besides you guys offered to pay and I'm one to take advantage of such a gesture," said Serena with an equally coy smile.

"Correction. Andrew offered, not me."

"Sorry Andrew."

"Don't worry, Serena. In a couple of days, I'm just going to be poor as church and you're making me pay for this expensive meal. It's all good," replied Andrew sarcastically.

"Shut up!" said Serena laughing.

--

About two hours later…

"If you think that's funny, it gets worse! After she ran over the life-size cardboard old lady, she ran over the 14 cones on the left of the course and landed on the school's fire hydrant. You won't believe it but water came out, bursting and splashing all over the place! Serena turned on her windshield wipers and that was the only right thing she did at that driving lesson!" exclaimed a laughing Mina.

"Do you remember everybody's face? It was HILARIOUS when you think about it now. I think I was the worst driver there since the school was built!" said a happy reminiscing Serena.

"And now you have a Ferrari. What happened?!" said Darien, laughing at Serena's awful beginner's luck behind the wheel.

"After I was completely humiliated in front of what I think was the entire school, I vowed to be the best driver out there. Kinda weird for a dream, but I made it. My dad was a big car fan and he's the one who taught me all about them and the way they should be ridden. From old vintage cars to the car I have now, I learned to conquer the road and anyone who opposed me," she said beaming, quite proud of her achievement.

"But, you haven't met someone like me yet," Darien replied smugly.

"I bet I can beat you anytime and anywhere… with my eyes closed," she challenged righteously.

"I'll keep that in mind, for our next meeting then."

"Okay, guys enough fooling around. We still have to talk business, if that's alright with you girls?" asked Andrew, staring at Mina.

"Of course, we have to be going anyways. Right, Sere?"

Serena didn't want to leave, she wanted to sit there and talk with them all night. Her day was just filled with fun and happiness. It felt very relaxing to her and surprisingly pleasant, despite the type of company she had. She looked at Darien and it was almost as if he knew she wanted to stay.

"C'mon, Drew! The night's still young! Besides, maybe we could use an outsider's ideas," said Darien, looking at Serena.

"Alright. You ARE the boss, you know. I'm just here to make your company look pretty."

Serena suddenly felt relieved. She hoped that someone would say something to make her stay. 'But why would Darien even say something?' The girls remained seated.

"So, what's the big problem?" asked Serena.

"You must know already. It's all over the news," answered Darien.

"Yeah, of course I know! But I mean what are the details of this devastating change in the flow of the current?" asked an interested Serena.

"Basically, Blake Corporation has figured out a way to exceed our talent in investing. You see, what Shields Inc. does is buy any existing business, whether they are small or big, and try to negotiate with their present owners a better salary while we get most of the profits."

"Isn't that sort of like stealing? I mean, wouldn't they be making the money you're taking from them?" said a slightly outraged Serena.

"Well… we like to think of it as sharing. It doesn't make their situations worse, it actually makes it better. You see, once they are under my corporation, the managers of said companies will get paid by us. This money is found with our various products on the market."

"Which is practically everything…" said Serena softly.

"Ha-ha… But yes, we do have a very extensive source of useful products, our most successful being the plane. We made them. We figured out how to make better planes at a time where flight was new. (AN: Do not take this fact seriously, it is simply a fact for the fanfic.) We were technology back then. From planes that flew over the oceans, to jets for the military, to the two story plane we made a few years ago. We were what the 'Times' called technology at its finest. We were the Microsoft of the plane industry. Flight companies bought our products because they knew that we were the best out there and now we aren't. But that's how my grandfather's company became what it is today. With the billions he made from the flight companies, he decided to start a different kind of business, as a side job, which was what I mentioned before, "sharing with other businesses". Our family has made a lot of profit, alongside your family as well. All this wealth, until now."

"But, you said that you guys have billions. So you can live until you die with this money, can't you?"

"Not really. Despite our money-making abilities, most of it funds our progress in the aviation industry. And here lies the problem, Serena. For quite a while now, we have made NO progress whatsoever. All our money is going down the drain because we haven't found anything new. It's almost as if planes don't need anything anymore. I almost wish we would've gone slower. We've done everything in one shot. You can find almost anything on a plane, almost like a cruise ship, only with less activities, because you can't make a plane too big or it will fall from the sky. And this is where we have to lay off a couple of employees here and there to keep us from getting bankrupt. However, that wasn't enough. Now, we have to lay off companies and no one can fund them anymore. They can start again on their own but it's going to be hard to find the money to pay their employees without the salary we gave them. Everything is going wrong and we don't know what to do," he concluded.

"What about the money from the other products?"

"Have you not been listening?! I HAVE TO LAY COMPANIES OFF BECAUSE WE CAN'T FUND THEM ANYMORE," he said frustrated.

"Can you people keep it down??" said a sleepy Mina.

"Alright guys, I think I'm gonna get this sleepy maiden to her quarters. We'll talk tomorrow Dare. Goodnight Serena," said Andrew, picking up Mina in his arms.

"Night Andrew. Night Mina," said Serena, still shaken from Darien's sudden outburst.

"Later guys," said Darien, feeling better now.

Once they were left alone, Serena was pondering Darien's situation. 'It must be so hard for him. Everyone is counting on him for jobs, but he keeps letting people go. I wonder what his family thinks of him… It must be awful to be alone on this with Andrew.'

"Serena, I just don't know what to do anymore. I just feel like quitting, you know. I just feel like telling everyone that this is just a bad dream, that tomorrow it'll all be all right. But I know that isn't gonna happen. The money we made was incredible, Serena. It was dreamlike. What am I going to do after this? Find a job like everyone else? That's not right, it's not what I live to do."

"Isn't your family as rich as mine? Don't they have money in a stock market or something?" asked Serena cautiously.

"They 'were' as rich as yours. Their money was in the Shields Inc. stock market. Unlike your father, who has money in several markets, we have almost nothing left compared to what we had."

"What exactly are you competing against?"

"Blake Corporation invented the electric car. It could either be a hybrid type which is a car that runs both with electrical power and gas or just an electrical car which is charged before you go out. The first is basically a battery inside the car which is charged when gas is being used. Let's say between 1 to 60 mph, battery is supposed to be used and, after that limit, gas is used but it is also charging the battery." (AN: Just a fact for the fic people.

"I can see why it sells. All the car companies in the world would love to have something that is environment-friendly, which is the main concern of our century, and almost everyone owns one. If it makes you feel better, I won't buy a car containing it," she told him with a sympathetic smile.

"Thanks, but that isn't going to make my company any wealthier is it?" he replied with a sad smile. "I need a product that would be just as revolutionary as theirs."

"I've got it!" exclaimed Serena. "What you need to do is use a similar idea but for planes!"

"Serena? Don't you think I've thought about that before? There's no way I can fund my technicians or their needs in order to do this. Besides it would be like stealing their idea."

"What about instead of using water power, using solar power?"

"I told you. I don't have the money to do any experiment whatsoever."

"Right." Serena sat there, brainstorming, watching Darien think of his misery. "What if you convince other people to fund in you?" Serena said smugly.

"What do you mean?" asked Darien.

"I mean, why don't you ask other companies to give you the money and in return, you do some "sharing"," Serena said smiling.

"I get what you mean, but what exactly are we going to do? We can't use Blake's idea…"

"Who said anything about using their idea?"

"What do you have in mind?" asked Darien, feeling the businessman that he is coming back to life.

"Use solar power. It would be the next big thing. Electricity is not unknown: we use it everyday and putting it into cars, is just updating them. It's like adding a new feature, like the air-conditioning system or the CD player. But, solar power is relatively new and not many places use it due to the fickle weather. But, what if we found a way to keep solar energy, like in a box or on plaques? Just like electricity is kept in capacitors and is generated from batteries. What if your technicians invented a solar battery? They would be put into YOUR planes, which would mean companies buying it, giving you your profits again!"

"Okay, it sounds like a plausible idea, but who's going to give us the money?" said Darien, thinking he found a flaw in her theory.

"The other companies."

"But they're the ones who are buying it."

"Who said we'll ask all of them?" said a smug Serena, beaming with inspiration. "We just ask a few companies to sponsor our idea, after we've elaborated a good and thorough explanation about it, which will be supplied but your technicians, we'll tell them that they will have a certain number of these new planes for free. We'll make an offer they can't refuse. They'll be the first to actually use solar energy in other domains other than power for houses! They can't possibly refuse this, it's good for publicity and companies love a good rep. What do you say Darien?"

"My God, Serena. I think you just saved Shields Inc.!" Darien said ecstatically.

Serena smiled radiantly at him. She was glad she found something that could save his company. Her family did work for him once; it was the least she could do to repay the Shields. "It was just on the spur of the moment and you wanted my help. Who am I to refuse a friend in need?"

"God Serena, I could kiss you right now!" said Darien, who didn't think twice about what he had just said. Serena looked at him, startled. Her eyes burned with a longing, a longing to have someone to care for her. She wanted him to do what he just said, but she knew it would never work out. Once the company would be back on its feet, Darien would have his billions and become the most eligible bachelor again. He would once again be loved by women of all types and he would gladly take them to his bedroom. Serena saddened at the thought of this.

"Serena? Is everything alright?" asked Darien softly. 'Damn it Dare! Look what you did, you scared her off. But there's something in her eyes… I can't get a hold of it. What is it Serena? Tell me.'

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'm just tired that's all," she said as she tried to smile.

'Something's bothering you Serena. Why don't you tell me?' thought Darien. "Serena, it's getting late and I think we should head home, but I've got a business proposition for you."

Serena perked up at the tone of his voice. 'Business proposition? I hope he's not gonna want anything sexual or something like that… Argh! I knew the womanizing Darien was still in there!' She prepared herself mentally for Darien's sexual proposition, giving him a look that could kill.

"Well… Serena…" started Darien, feeling quite uneasy under her glare. "I'd like to hire you."

"Wh- What?" she said surprised as her eyes opened wider.

"That's right. I'd like to offer you a position as our company's head of public relations."

"Are you kidding?!" she said with much surprise. "I'm not the right person for this kind of thing! I mean I don't have experience in the field, I've never liked talking in front of people, I-"

"Serena, calm down. A few minutes ago, you told me this idea that just popped into your head without any true facts or scientific explanation and you still convinced me to go through with it. You've got talent and you don't even know it. I told you, you have potential."

Serena was flattered by what he was saying, but could she really go through with it? It was a crazy idea and now Darien Shields wants her to convince everyone else that it wasn't some bullshit. "I guess… it wouldn't hurt to try…" she said uneasy.

"Excellent! You'll have to understand that your pay would have to be slightly late due to obvious reasons, but I assure you your salary will eventually reach your hands, given that everything works out as planned."

"Of course, of course," she said. "It's not like I'm in desperate need of money..." 'What did I get myself into??'

"Excuse me? We're going to close soon…" said the same tall Asian man as before.

"Wow! That late! 11 o'clock! Time sure flies!" Darien said while looking at his Rolex.

"Really? We should get going…" said Serena, still dazed from getting a position at Shields Inc.

"Damn it… Andrew didn't even pay for the meal. He can really be forgetful sometimes. I guess I'm gonna have to pay for it."

"Do you believe in karma?" said Serena playfully.

"Ha-ha. Let's get outta here."

--

"So… where are you parked?" asked Serena.

"Well I was parked right here in front of the restaurant, but Andrew was driving and he probably took it back to Mina's place. Damn him. Guess I'm stuck with you," said Darien with a smirk.

Little did Serena know that Darien was actually quite happy staying with her, at her side, the whole ride home. He didn't really mean to damn his best friend, he should in fact be thanking him for such an opportunity. It lead to him being alone with Serena, something he's been longing to do for a long time.

"Oh great. At least I'm sober now. C'mon," she said as she walked towards the Ferrari. Darien quickly followed her light footsteps. "Hop in," she told him.

"I get to see if your skills really have improved since your high school years. Should I be afraid of being in here with you?" said Darien, making fun of her.

"Shut up! You should be afraid. You know why? 'Cause I'm an amazing driver! So amazing, that you'll be too scared to try and show me what YOU can do behind the wheel," she said smugly replying to his comment.

'Oh yes Serena. You are amazing… Cut it out Darien! She's too good for you… Why do I have to be such a scaredy cat? Why can't I just pull one of my legendary Darien lines? I guess 'cause… she's so different. She's changing me…'

At that second, Serena started her car and sped off, the motor rumbling in their ears. "You're scared now aren't you, Darien?" she said laughing and turning on the music to full volume.

"I think I kinda am!" he said screaming over the music. "I think I'm afraid for my life!"

"Prepare for one hell of a ride Darien!!" she screamed.

--

The way home was filled with fun and laughter. For once, the streets of New York didn't have as much traffic as it usually does and Serena was free to drive as she pleased. They spent their time bobbing their heads to the music, while pedestrians looked at them like they were hooligans. Little did they know, that Serena was in a car with the richest man in the city, or at least, he used to be.

As Serena finally pulled to a stop in front of their luxurious home, the valet jumped backwards due to the quickness of her appearing there. Serena was almost glad he almost toppled over. She didn't like this scrawny little guy. He always looked at her funny, like those high school guys who want some time with her 'cause they've never had a girl in their entire life. Except, he was a little weird… He still got the job done and that was all Serena needed to know. "Here ya go. Park it in its usual place Stewart," she said while Darien got out of the car.

"Of c-c-course! Miss Lawrence," he said, fidgeting with her keys.

Serena walked into the apartment building with Darien. Daniel, the host of the building, saw them enter. They were laughing like a newlywed couple, about Stewart apparently, but the most shocking thing was that he actually saw Darien smiling and having fun. 'Zis is most bizarre… 'e always looked so serious. Zis girl must be very special,' he thought to himself.

"Bonsoir, Daniel! Belle nuit vous ne trouvez pas?"

"Évidemment," he replied, smiling at Serena. "'ow are you, Miss Lawrence? In good company I 'ope?"

"Oh yes…" said a smiling Serena. "I didn't know you spoke French," she continued, gently nudging Darien in the ribs.

"It's one of my many talents. There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Serena," said Darien chuckling. "Anyways, anything new for me?" he said turning to Daniel.

"No, Sir. Just ze usual. Money matters…"

"Well then, thank you Daniel, and goodnight," he said, walking away towards the elevators which opened right away at the touch of the up button.

The elevator man stood there and observed them. Even he found that their situation quickly changed in just a couple of days. A few days ago, they were strangers to each other, not knowing that they actually lived two steps away from themselves. And now, it was as if they knew each other since kindergarten. It almost seemed magical.

They walked into the elevator smiling and blushing at each other like giddy little kids. Thirty seconds later, a small shout came from the elevator man. "Pent house!" he said.

"Thank you… Mr.…?" asked Darien.

"Call me, James," he replied quickly.

"Alright. Thanks again, James." The couple walked out the elevator silently, towards Serena's apartment. 'He really has changed. Out of the whole time he's lived here, he never bothered to ask me my name. Ever. I hope he keeps this one,' thought the elevator man to himself.

"What is up with everyone tonight?!" asked an incredulous Darien.

"You felt that too? I felt like everyone was looking at me funny! Even Daniel had a weird look!"

"Maybe there was something in my teeth or on my shirt?" said Darien gesturing for Serena to look at his teeth by shoving his face in front of hers.

"Stop it!" she shrieked, as she pushed his face with one of her hands. "Actually, I think there's something on your shirt!"

"Really? Where?" said a wondering Darien.

"Right there," she said as she pointed to a spot on his shirt only to tap his chin, when he turned to look down at his clothes. "Ha! You fell for the oldest trick in the book!"

"Maybe! But at least I'm not ticklish!" he said trying to tickle her sides. Serena couldn't cover herself up enough and she was being tortured to death by Darien. She was the most ticklish person on earth and somehow Darien knew it.

She was laughing hysterically, until she couldn't take it anymore and just fell to the floor alongside a tired Darien who took a seat beside her in front of her doorstep. "Today was fun Serena. I haven't had fun like that since… since… I can't even remember the last time I had fun."

Serena looked at him with a sympathetic smile. She knew how he felt. She's obviously had her moments with Mina and Amy, but those were different. They usually went shopping and things like that, the typical girlfriend hangouts. Today, was different for her as well.

"Same here, Darien. Same here," she said softly, as she slowly turned to look at his face. 'He's so… perfect.' she thought.

'She's so beautiful, even with her tousled hair and her tired eyes,' he said to himself, trying to keep a mental picture of the woman sitting in front of him. "Serena?…" he said gently.

"Yeah?" she replied, trying not to sound too anxious or hopeful. She ached to hear him say that he was actually starting to like her, or perhaps even love her. But she knew that it was impossible even if some part of her was urging her to try. 'Try what?' she asked herself. 'Love him? That's crazy… Right?' She snapped out of her thoughts when she realized that Darien's gaze was intensely fixated onto her blue eyes, almost as if he could read her soul. He slowly came closer, without breaking the deep eye contact they were sharing at that moment. His fingers brushed hers like the wings of a butterfly sweeping across one's cheek. Before he knew what he was doing or feeling, his hand started to move up her arm, sending chills to her spine and goosebumps to the rest of her body. He caressed the soft skin with the tips of his fingers and he knew that she was the woman that could complete him, his other half. Inches turned to centimeters, centimeters into millimeters, until their faces were so close, that he could smell the soft scent of her perfume. It engulfed him like a spell. 'Could I be in love?' he thought. She was wrapped up in all these confused emotions and feelings, yet everything felt right: his touch, his eyes, his breath… he was the one for her. Was he?

"Darien…" Serena whispered.

"Don't Serena… you'll ruin it…" he said in a sultry tone.

"OMG!! DARIEN!! I thought it was you!" said a voice from Darien's doorstep.

The couple turned around and Darien realized that his worst nightmare was not even close to what was about to happen.

--

**Author's notes**: Omg! Who is this mystery person? What's going to happen between Darien and Serena? Could this be the end of her career when it hasn't even started? I promise the next chapter will be really interesting!! I hope I'll finish it soon!! Review plz!! Always love those…


	5. Fun at work

**Disclaimer:** The usual…

**Author's notes: **Well… Thanks for all your reviews! Seems like you guys like the fic! ^^ Also, I got one review which caught my attention and if any of you went to check the review section, I wrote back to this person. Anonymous was the name he or she left and I will repeat what I said on the review board here. Basically, this person said that the great business idea from Serena was unrealistic and stupid. You have the right to think whatever you want to think, but I would like to present you a few REALISTIC thoughts. First of all, a hundred years ago, no one would've ever thought that there would be something called the internet or even computers at all. If someone were to say that there would be such a thing as solar power (which might I add IS used today in some places for electricity) they would probably be called crazy and put away. So, did people think it was UNREALISTIC for man to walk on the moon? Probably, but it did happen. Did people think cloning was just something we'd see in movies? Definitely, but it's working today and Dolly the lamb is a successful example of it. So I ask you, Anonymous, is it that crazy that I invent planes moving with solar energy? Yes, it is a fic of the now, but my fic is also fictional and therefore anything goes. So next time, think before talking. Well… that felt great! So, why don't I just stop here and unveil who the mystery person is!!! Enjoy!!!

**Chapter 5**

"Michelle?!" said Darien, partly confused and partly angry at her for destroying the perfect bliss he was in.

"Well, who else would it be silly?" replied the tall brunette. (AN: I don't remember if I gave you a description of her before, but in my head she's Sailor Neptune. I just changed the hair color because having light greenish blue hair isn't realistic.) Serena looked at her in disbelief. She was wearing the most skimpiest outfit. She wasn't even wearing day clothes: she was in lingerie. It seemed like she wanted to surprise Darien when he came home.

"I've been waiting all evening for you, but you never showed up. I called your cell but it was off obviously. You wouldn't dare turn a call down from me, would you?" she said in a sexy voice with eyes that clearly showed what she wanted out of him.

"Well, I was having dinner with Andrew and then I met-" he started, while quickly getting up.

"Who's your little friend?" she said, approaching Darien like a hawk and then grabbing him snuggly around the waist. 'Little friend?' thought Serena, still sitting on the floor.

"Oh, that's Serena. My, um, new head of public affairs," he replied sadly. 'So that's what I am to you Darien…' she thought disappointed.

"Well, nice to meet you Serena. I'm Michelle, his girlfriend," said Michelle, extending her hand to shake Serena's. "Sorry, we had to meet at a moment like this," she continued as she motioned to her outfit. Serena got up and stood in front of her to grab her hand. 'G-girlfriend?' Serena thought.

"Oh, that's alright," she answered. "We were just talking about business before going to bed, that's all."

"That's Darien. Always work, work, work, never pleasure," she said with a small laugh. "Shall we go to bed? It's late afterall…" she said, almost pleading.

"Uh… yea sure… I guess I'll see you tomorrow. I'll come get you and we'll go to the office together," he said regretfully. 'I'm so sorry you had to see this Serena… You have no idea how much I want to explain myself… but I just can't right now…' he thought sadly.

"Yea, sure. Bright and early," she said teary-eyed, not letting them see her reaction, as she walked to her door and slid her card key into the slot. "Well, like Michelle said, it's late. Goodnight," she continued, trying not to sound too hurt in front of them. And, without letting him say goodnight, she walked into her apartment and shut the door.

--

Serena walked into her dark apartment and shut the door, standing behind it. She saw two tiny slits at the end of the room and she knew it was Blaze making sure it was his master. Just then, the tears she was trying to keep in flowed down her cheeks like small crystals. Sliding down against the door, she landed on the floor like a porcelain vase shattered to a million pieces. Little sobbing sounds came out of the being who was usually strong. 'Why do I feel so much pain?? It's not like I'm going out with him or anything… But when I saw him with that woman… I just knew I wasn't for him. I was just another one of his conquests… Those girls that he finds on the side when his girlfriend isn't available… How could I be so stupid? I knew it was too good to be true… Maybe love just isn't meant for me. This isn't the first time it's happened… Just when everything is perfect, it turns out to be some cruel joke… I just feel so stupid and embarrassed…' she thought as stronger sobs came about. 'I should've kept my guard up… I've always hated him… but it felt right… something told me he was different… Oh shut up Serena!!! Can't you see that he's hurt you?! Just face reality like you've always had! And tomorrow, you're going to face him like nothing's changed!' she thought as she sniffled and wiped her nose on her shirt. She stopped crying for a few seconds, staring at the floor in the dark. She slowly got up and walked towards her bedroom. She paused and glimpsed at the door. 'But it felt so real…' she thought as a final tear fell down her cheek.

--

Darien watched as he heard the click of the closing door. Serena's door. 'Oh, Serena…' he thought. A million things through his head, most of which concerned the woman he may have lost forever.

"Darien? Aren't you coming inside?" asked a horny Michelle. She would've cared less about that little twit who lived next door, but seeing as how Darien stared at her door so intensely… so attached… 'Could he be in love?' she thought. 'No way…' He looked at Darien who didn't even hear her and found that it was a possibility. 'She might cause problems to my future financial status… I have to get rid of her! But first thing's first: I have to replenish what I mean to Darien. He was once in love with me, until the love of his job took over… But I can fix that…'

"Darien?" she said a little louder this time. This time he heard her and as he turned around, he saw Michelle standing on his doorstep with her back to him, topless. He almost wanted to tell her off, but he couldn't jeopardize his life because she knew something that no one else knew… He obviously tried to deny what happened, but she already knew. He tried breaking up with her, losing contact with her, changing numbers, everything; hoping that she would one day give up and forget him. She was a gold-digger and Darien, being that wealthiest man on the planet, was the perfect target. She always found a way back to him, like tonight. He could never escape her and he knew that maybe it was best this way. 'I'm sorry Serena… I'll find a way for us to be together…' he thought as he walked towards Michelle and into his apartment.

--

"… bright and sunny Monday morning and this nice weather will continue all day. Now, for traffic with Ken Spencer…"

"Ugh…" groaned a still sleepy Serena, as she turned off her radio alarm clock. It was 6 am. A yawn came out of the sleeping beauty before she realized that it was her first day of work with Darien. His name was like a knife piercing her heart, but she wasn't going to let an opportunity to work for Shields Inc. slip away. She never really needed to work her whole life due to her family's background, but she didn't want to be one of those prissy annoying girls who used up daddy's money and credit card. She worked in many places over the years, trying to avoid the family business with Shields Inc., except there was nothing she really loved doing. And yesterday, she felt great trying to promote her ideas. The thrill of business was in her blood and she knew it.

She decided it was time to get out of bed and take a shower. Just then, she heard a knock on the door. She figured it was probably the cleaners so she proceeded to open the door.

"Uh… Guess you aren't ready yet…" said Darien, seeing her attire. She was still in her pjs.

"Oh my god…" Serena said, before shutting the door in his face.

"Alright… Good morning to you to," he said to himself, confused about her reaction.

Seeing Darien reminded her of last night and for a moment, she felt terrible. She wanted to ask him a million questions, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answers. She then figured that the best way to react to yesterday night was to ignore it, like if nothing happened. If it was really meant to be, another moment would present itself without interruption. 'God… I'm starting to sound like Mina…' she thought.

"Uh, Serena? I'm still out here you know," shouted Darien.

"Oh shit, right," she muttered under breath. "I'll be right there!" she screamed as she ran to her bedroom. She wanted to laugh for shutting Darien outside her doorstep and it made her feel better. She went to her walk-in closet to pick out her work clothes. 'What to wear? What to wear?' she thought in a panic. She quickly rummaged through her things and finally picked out an outfit that was appropriate for business. 'Do I have time to shower?' she quickly asked herself. 'Ugh, I'll go take one. It's not like he'll leave. I mean I'm the reason we're actually going to the office!' She ran to her bathroom and showered as if the Tazmanian devil passed through. 'Ok, gotta hurry! Gotta hurry!' she repeated to herself. She slipped into the outfit she picked out and ran downstairs. It was a simple grey skirt with a black tank top underneath a matching grey jacket. She hopped to the kitchen to grab an apple, while she tried to slip on her expensive black heels and saw Blaze, begging for food. "Amy'll be here in a couple of minutes and she'll give you whatever you want. Mommy's gotta work today," she said. A soft little whine came out of the pup as he sat back down.

"Serena?! Serena?!" called a very impatient Darien.

"Just a sec!" she called out.

She grabbed her black purse and opened up the door. There she was, with her wet hair and a simple yet elegant outfit. 'You never cease to amaze me, Serena,' thought Darien. "Where were you? I've been calling you like a mad person for like half an hour!" scolded Darien.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious where I was," retorted Serena.

"Let's just get going."

They both strode to the elevator. Darien pressed the call button. "Listen Serena… about last night…"

"What about last night?" she said nonchalantly as Darien was surprised by her distant tone.

"I wanted to apologize for-"

"For Michelle? Darien, you don't have to apologize for having a sex life with your girlfriend!" she said with a fake laugh.

**DING!**

"She's n-"

"Going down?" asked the elevator man.

"Of course, James," said Darien. "There's no where to go but down, is there?" he said with a smile. James nodded.

The ride down was long and awkward, even for James. He could feel a tension between them that wasn't there last night. Serena just brushed her tangled hair, pretending to be absorbed in her thoughts.

**DING!**

"Lobby!" said James.

"Good day, James!" said Darien, while Serena simply smiled at the elevator man.

"Bonjour, Mr. Shields! Miss Lawrence! Always a pleasure!" said the always cheerful Daniel in his funny little accent. "Shall I get your cars ready?"

"My car isn't here at the moment, Daniel, so we'll only be taking her car," said Darien.

"Ah bon? zogether? I can always call a taxi for you Mr. Shields?"

"No, that won't be necessary, thank you. We're both heading to the office. Miss Lawrence here is my new head of public affairs."

"Ah! Félicitations! You are under great management, I assure you!" he said happily.

"I'm sure I am, Daniel," replied Serena. 'I'm sure I am… last night's impression confirmed it…'

"I'll tell Stewart to get ze car," Daniel said. He then hastily told him over the intercom linked to the valet's headset to quickly get the car. Darien and Serena watch the scrawny man run towards the parking. Serena felt weird standing beside the man she thought had changed. "I'll go wait outside," she said to the two men and she walked away briskly.

"Now zat she is gone, Mr. Shields, not zat I resent 'er company, but I 'ave to talk to you about a rat problem…"

"A rat problem?" scoffed Darien. "We've never had a rat problem!"

"Mr. Shields, I am not talking about ze animal, alzough ze one I'm talking about can perfectly be called ze same…" he said, leaving a small pause. "Well, I saw 'er trying to sneak out of ze building. I caught 'er just in time."

Darien remained slightly puzzled, until it dawned on him that it was most likely Michelle he was talking about.

"I 'ave footage of 'er grabbing ze universal card key from zis very bureau you are leaning on, Mr. Shields. I presume she was wiz you all night. Zid you not ask yourself 'ow she got 'ere?"

"Of course, I asked myself… I just didn't, hum, have time to ask her…"

"Mr. Shields, it is very important zat you understand where zis is coming from. I will not tolerate such be'avior! 'oo knows what else she might take in ze future! If you wish for 'er to come 'ere, I will give you a spare card. It was only on your orders zat she was banned from 'ere, but zis is unacceptable! 'er presence cannot destroy zis building's reputation. She is eizer allowed to come or she is not," finished a not mad, but frustrated Daniel. He never really liked Michelle and he didn't know why Darien always put up with her. He knew that he could do better and he was hoping it would be the blond girl sitting in the passenger's side of the car.

"I'm very sorry Daniel, it won't happen again. I just don't know how to keep her away… it's very… complicated… but I don't want her to actually live here… I'll talk to her and figure out a way to keep the rat out," said Darien with a smile.

"Of course, Mr. Shields. Of course," replied Daniel with a short chuckle. "The car and your lady are waiting."

"I'll see you later, Daniel, with a rat trap," he said as he walked towards his awaiting princess.

Serena was absorbed in deciding how to tie her hair up that she didn't see the shadow coming up beside her window.

**SMACK!**

"Ahhh!" came a shriek from the blond beauty. Two hands appeared flat on her window and she saw that it was the one and only Darien Shields. She let down the window. "You're in my seat," said a laughing Darien.

"You scared me to death and that's all you say!?" said a still shocked Serena. Darien just stared with a large smile on his face. "Besides you're driving," continued Serena.

"Really?" said an excited Darien.

"Yes, really. Would I be sitting here in the first place if I was driving?"

"Lighten up, Serena. It was just a little scare. You know, for fun."

Serena looked at him with a look that said 'Just get in, will ya.' "Alright, alright," said Darien with his hands up and walked to the driver's seat where he adjusted the seats and mirrors. "Are you ready, Serena?" he said cockily.

"Are YOU ready, Darien?" she said with equal cockiness.

"I'm always ready," he replied and they sped off into the daylight, towards what Serena was hoping to be salvation.

--

"Woohoo!" screamed Darien as he pulled to a stop in the underground parking lot of his firm. "That baby can roar!"

"I'm glad you like it," said Serena laughing. She actually enjoyed herself. It was nice to have someone drive you for a change. 'Especially Darien… Oh stop it already!' she thought.

"Alright, fun's over. Time to be serious," he said suddenly. "Here are your keys m'lady," he said in a funny British accent.

They got out of the car and Serena finally looked the part. Her hair was tied up in half a ponytail and she managed to put her make-up on while Darien was having a blast. They marched towards the nearest elevator and went in.

"We've got a long to way to go. Hope you're not claustrophobic," said Darien as he pressed the button beside the 68 logo.

"Don't worry about me, Darien. I can take care of myself," she said with a small smile. 'I always have.'

'I wish you weren't so defensive with me, Serena. If you would just let down your walls again…' thought Darien, thinking about her last sentence. "Well, once we get there, I'll introduce you to a few important people and then maybe I'll give you a tour of the main attractions."

"That sounds great."

Not too long after, they arrived at the top floor. "Welcome to Shields Inc. Miss Lawrence," said Darien the second the doors opened. Serena stared as she saw only two offices. She walked towards one of them. The sun shone so brightly, that the room didn't even need to be lit by the ceiling lights or the decorative lamps. It was the most amazing office Serena had ever seen. Darien's was obviously the one on the right end, with the most perfect view of the city, where he could watch everyone like a hawk. The other belonged to Andrew, the vice-president, and he had quite a view as well. Serena noticed that there was no secretary present, and she knew that secretaries had to be there before the boss came, especially in a company such as Shields Inc. They had to be ready to take orders or to give a full report of the day's work. "Where's your secretary?" asked Serena hesitantly.

"Um… I don't have one," said Darien, scratching his head. Serena just looked at him with a puzzled look. Darien figured she wanted more to his answer. "Well, I sorta fired her…" Still nothing came out of Serena. "Ok, if you really wanna know the whole story… it was when I heard of the news. I was so mad and frustrated and I knew I would have to fire a couple of people. In my head, at that time, I figured: why not start with my very own secretary?"

"That's sorta cruel, Darien."

"No, it isn't. She was the most useless secretary in the world. I've had lots of secretaries in my life and she was the worst. The president himself would reject her in a nanosecond. She wasn't here for long, she just wanted the money. Just like every other girl who applied for the position."

"What happened to your previous secretary?" she asked.

"Um, previous secretarieS, with an s."

"You've had lots of secretaries?"

"Yea, dozens and dozens…" he said nodding.

"I see… What happened to them?"

"My reputation was not unknown, Serena," he smiled. "I was a bachelor and I wanted to have fun. I liked women and women liked me. It was easy to find them; they were all at my feet. When they wouldn't interest me anymore, I'd just either switch secretaries or find other women on the side. That's when they'd find out and it'd get pretty ugly, but I didn't care, so I'd fire them. And it went on like this, ever since I took over Shields Inc."

"Wow, Darien… That was pretty honest. You used them up like a box of Kleenex didn't you?" she paused. "You probably know every girl's name in the city," she said slightly disgusted.

"But that was back then… that was before I met y-"

"Hello, hello!" said a voice behind them. They turned around and found Andrew coming out of the elevator, heading towards them. "We need to get crackin' Dare. It ain't funny anymore, I heard the news this morning and they're calling us idiots! They said, and I quote, 'They used to have billions of dollars. Shouldn't they use their money to find a solution instead of spending it on expensive restaurants and women?' I'd like to fire them next, those incompetent bastards. We should've never bought that news channel. They always criticize us! It's sorta ironic actually…"

"I know Drew. Luckily, I've found an answer to all our problems. That's why Serena's here with us today. She's our new head of public affairs."

"You hired, Serena? Mina's gonna freak when she finds out I found out before her!"

"Be serious, Drew. She told me the greatest idea, and I think it can actually work out, if we get funded by other companies."

"Woah, woah, woah," said Andrew lifting up his hands, as if to say stop for a second. "You want US to get OTHER companies to GIVE money to US," he said pointing to himself while he said 'us' and moving his arms around when mentioning the word 'other'. "It's not something we usually do Dare…"

"I know, I know, Drew. But if we want our place in society and money back, we have to use Serena as our weapon. She'll convince the other companies to cooperate with us, with the help of our best techs: our best physicist and chemist, all of those guys. They're the best in the world! And we'll grab the other CEOs by the balls for sure."

"Not sure I want to do that last part… but explain this whole idea thing to me," said Andrew skeptically.

"How 'bout we sit down first?" said Serena. "I'm can't last a whole day in these heels."

"Of course. Drew, my office or yours?"

"Always yours Dare. You've got a better sofa then I do."

"Good point. I never understood why you never changed yours… It's been like for-"

"Ahem…" coughed Serena.

"Right, we'll continue this later. This way Serena."

She followed him to the right side of the floor, where his spacious office was. Darien and Andrew took a seat on the large leather sofa while Serena took a seat in the armchair opposite them. "I'm all ears, Miss Lawrence," said Andrew. Serena presented her idea to him in the exact same way she blew Darien away last night.

"I think this might actually work! Dare, we're saved! We're not going to be bums afterall!" exclaimed Andrew cheerfully.

"Settle down, little grasshopper. We're not sailing through clear sea yet. We have to round up all the contacts that we need. The trustworthy ones. We have to find the ones that believe in our products and our ways. They have to keep funding us no matter what…" said Darien to Andrew, in a business-like tone. Suddenly, the room fell silent and only Darien's voice could be heard in Serena's ears. It intrigued Serena because she had never heard him speak in such a manner. It was strong and direct, firm and sure, the kind of tone that reassures you. 'No wonder he's such a good business man. It's easy to believe that what he's saying is right. It seems like the best way possible.' She found it so captivating and… sexy? 'I can see why women fall for him… he's so perfect… until you see the real Darien Shields: a man who uses his power and looks to get what he wants and then leaves you for something better. I can still daydream I guess…'

"Serena? Did you hear what I said?" asked Darien.

"Huh? What?" she said as she snapped out of her daze.

"I said… while Andrew goes to round up all the contacts we need and decides who the candidates will be, with a few managers downstairs, you and I will go to the labs and you'll tell them what you told Drew and me. Is that ok?"

"Oh yea, sure," she answered slightly embarrassed.

"Great. Drew you go on and find whoever is able to fund us, while I go see the financial department. Call them up and tell them that I'm coming. They might need a little cheering up."

"Yup, I saw Ernie this morning and he wasn't happy. He said something about loads of calculating to do…"

"He'll have a lot more coming up when I go see him," said Darien. "Well, Serena, shall we?" he said as he motioned her to pass before him toward the elevator.

"Mmhm," she said. They both walked to the elevator and she reached for the elevator button.

"It might take a while before it gets here," he started.

"Can't you afford other elevators?" asked Serena in a mocking tone.

"Very funny… We do have plenty of other elevators, except this is the only one that passes onto this floor and there are much more people working under than here," he smiled, proud of his answer.

"Why don't we take the stairs then?" asked Serena like if it was the most obvious thing to do.

"I never use the stairs. It's not the same."

"Not… the… same…?" said Serena in a way that meant 'what is this nonsense?'.

"Well, I'm president and I think it would look bizarre if the president waltzed in on through the stairwell. It's just weird."

"So if someone needed your opinion real quick, you'd make him wait?"

"No, we have phones."

"What if what he needed was visual confirmation?"

"Well, they'd have to come here. Unless it's from the labs, everything analyzed or made there, stays there. Besides, I wouldn't go, I'd send Andrew."

"Wow. You really take the whole package don't you?" said Serena.

"What's that supposed to mean? 'The whole package'."

"You're president of Shields Inc. and you're lazy! Also, who cares about how you look? You're still the one in command! You have the best office and the best employees! You can do whatever you want and yet you choose to do the least of it. You don't have to look perfect in front of everyone Darien. All these people under our feet know that you're their boss. They'll follow you no matter what and showing up once in a while tells them that they're actually doing a good job. I know Andrew is second in line, but it's not the same and I understand that you're probably the busiest of them all, but it never hurt anyone to go down a couple flights of stairs," she said with a smile.

"Actually, I know a guy who fell going dow-" he said jokingly.

"Shut up!" she said punching him lightly in the ribs. "We're taking the stairs," she laughed, as she pulled his arm towards the exit sign.

In the meantime, Andrew, who was in office and who was supposed to be talking to Ernie, saw what happened between them: the smiling, the harmless flirting… Serena was really taking a toll on Darien. Andrew had listened as Mina talked about the two being together, but he wouldn't believe it. He'd always tell her that Darien was a ladies man and that he would never change for anyone. Today, he was proved wrong. He'd seen those little signs that told him that Darien wasn't the same, he just never paid much attention to them. The bar incident, how he saved Serena; the coincidental restaurant meeting with the paparazzi; yesterday night with Mina; but also the smaller things like him dazing off into the distance. He just shrugged them off. It was all true then. Something changed his best friend and he was persuaded that it was Serena. His best friend was coming back to him, the one he used to know in high school, the one before the workaholic and the womanizer. 'She must have some effect…' thought Andrew.

"Hello?! HELLO?!" said a voice in the phone.

"Yea, yea, Ernie. I'm still here. I was just witnessing a miracle…"

"What are you talking about?" shouted the man with an Australian accent.

"Nothing… I just wanted to call to say Mr. Shields is heading down."

"Oh shit. That's bad news. I haven't even finished analyzing last week's financial situation. It's all gone to he-"

"Ernie. You better get back to work, he took the stairs down."

"No kidding. That's a first. Talk to you later, mate."

Andrew smiled as he put the phone back in its place. 'I gotta tell Mina!'

"Which floor are we going to?" asked Serena, as she walked down the first few stairs with Darien.

"First, we're going to the financial department which would be on the 60th floor and then to the labs, all the way down to the 30th." he replied.

"I'll race you there." said Serena. For some reason, when she was around Darien, she wanted to have fun. She felt free-spirited and she told herself that the events of last night didn't matter. What did matter was the present, and right now, she was with Darien and she intended to make the most out of her time at Shields Inc.

"You seem pretty confident there, Serena. On the count of three and then I'll beat you." he said cockily.

"Or so you think…" she answered.

"1-2…" he started and sped off without finishing down the first couple of stairs.

"Hey!! Cheater!" she shouted as she tried to regain the space between them. They both ran down the stairs and both didn't know what they were thinking. They were professionals and yet they were acting like five year olds.

'I feel so different when I'm around her… I feel like it's okay to be stupid and act goofy around her, like she wouldn't judge me. _Why_ does she make me feel this way?' he thought to himself as he skipped over a few stairs. He was still in the lead and after a few minutes jogging down the stairs he arrived first on the 60th floor. He turned around to see where she was. To his surprise, she wasn't too far behind. As she ran down the last flight of stairs, on the last step, she tripped and almost fell flat on her face, if not for Darien who effortlessly grabbed her just in time. She looked up and saw his blue eyes staring down at her, sort of laughing at her situation, but there was also something else… something she couldn't quite put a finger on…

"Told ya people could get hurt going down the stairs," he told her, happy to prove his point about stairs. 'Although, if it weren't for her pushing me to take the stairs, I wouldn't be holding her in my arms right now,' he thought. "If I wasn't here to save your overconfident-self you'd be-"

"Flat on my face, after which I would be crying my heart out in that little corner over there?" she asked almost dreamily.

"I was gonna go with dead, with a broken skull, but your idea is good too," he said as he started laughing.

"Gee, a bit dramatic are we?" she replied as she laughed as well.

After a few seconds, nothing was heard in the stairwell, except for the walking sound of a couple of people a few floors down who were taking the stairs. Then silence. The only two people remaining were Darien and Serena and once again, they found themselves in the same predicament.

"Told ya I'd beat you," said Darien, whispering softly in Serena's ear. She had her arms around him ever since her fall and he had never let go of her either. Serena's cheeks turned pink as she found herself in a situation she never dreamed would ever happen again. Darien saw her face turn a light shade of crimson and smiled at the pretty woman he held tight in his arms. He didn't want to kiss her, he just wanted to keep her close until the end of time. He didn't want to let her go, because he knew that at some point it would end, and he wanted to make this moment last forever. The sound of a door clashed with the silence.

"I, I'm sorry for interrupting…" said Ernie as he saw Darien with the blond woman. He knew Darien had left his work a couple of times to meet up with the women he was seeing, but this one seemed different…

Darien was startled as saw Ernie walk into the stairwell. He quickly let go of what felt so perfect and turned to his coworker. "Oh, it's not a problem Ernie. We were just having a little race…"

"Right then. I was just coming up to check on ya. Andrew said you'd be coming."

"Well, I'm here now and may I present Miss Serena Lawrence, our new head of public affairs."

"May I say what a beaut! It's about time we hired one of 'em heads. Ya see Miss, he used to send out people at random to promote our stuff. We had a group of course, but it was never really organized if ya know what I mean. We had a few competent people in there, those were the ones he used."

"All right Ernie, that's enough. One thing about him is that he talks too much for his own good," he said smiling at Serena.

"Well, nice to meet you Ernie. And don't listen to Mr. Shields, I love people who have lots to say, they're the ones with the best conversations," she said, secretly mocking Darien.

"I like her!" said Ernie to Darien as he pointed to Serena.

"Quit turning my employees against me!" said Darien to Serena.

"Don't be surprised if she kicks ya off your presidency, mate," said Ernie, winking jokingly at Serena.

"Shall we go inside?" said Darien, while opening the door, motioning for them to go before him and trying to end this conversation.

"Right then, back to business it is," said Ernie and all three partners walked towards the busy offices of the financial department.

"Seeing the number of employees that Shields Inc. owns as a whole... As of last week compared to the number of sales that are being done up to today, we would all be broke or some of us would have to be fired by the end of this week. Our stock's a complete disaster Mr. Shields! Everyone has our recent planes and our side-products are just… well their just side-products! Most of our revenues come from the planes," said Ernie sternly to Darien, looking at his finance papers.

"Right. What if we were to keep the factories that make of our second row of products open, but let all the other companies go?"

"We'd still be in a hole. Factories need a lot of manpower and even if they provide a great deal for us, they also use up a lot from us."

"Alright, how 'bout we let the factories go and keep everything else, like the news stations, restaurants and hotels."

"That would be more convenient. We don't own many of those, but people do use them often and that would be a reasonable loss but also a subtle gain. But telling all those factories that we won't be the source of their income would be a pain. Boy am I glad that I'm not president."

"Great then. You find out how much we'll have by the end of the week in profits and losses and the gross value. In the meantime, I have to go down to the labs to present a revolutionary idea that might save our asses."

"Knew you'd pull through for us, Sir!"

"It's not me you have to thank, it's thanks to Miss Lawrence."

"Crikey! Beautiful and smart! Glad to have you on our team," he said with a genuine smile.

"Glad to be here," she said smiling, happy that she was appreciated.

"Ernie, keep calculating and see ya in a bit."

"Right, sir!"

Darien and Serena quickly walked to the elevators. There were more on the other floors due the huge amount of activity traveling to different floors and the amount of people. "Not so excited to take the elevators now are you?" asked Darien cockily.

"You told me in was on the 30th floor, it'd take us ages to get there not to mention it's 30 floors below us."

"Now who's lazy?"

**DING!**

"Shut up! You can take the stairs if you want, but I'm taking the elevator," she said as she quickly walked into the elevator.

**DING! **The second elevator showed up.

"How 'bout another race? Maybe I'll take it easy on you…" asked Darien, raising one eye brow.

"Alright then. Get in your elevator and on the count of three, we go. Try to stay put 'til three this time okay?"

"Fine. If I win, I get to take you out," said Darien cautiously.

"I'm not sure I want to do this anymore…" she said hesitantly. She didn't want to be put in a position where she would be the mistress or the rebound girl or whatever she was to him. She did have fun with him and she didn't want to jeopardize their new found friendship by going on dates with him and then finding it ruined by outer forces. 'But what would one night out do?' she asked herself. People started to look at them funny because they were talking to each other in separate elevators. They mostly had their eye on Darien who would never act in such a way, at least in their minds.

"Aw, c'mon Serena. If you win, you get… um… my car."

"No way!! That thing costs a fortune! And you're in no position to buy a new one if you lose, which you will."

"Guess you have nothing to worry about then. Ready? 1-2-3. Go!" he said.

"H- Wait!" she said as she fumbled with the buttons.

Everyone in the offices just stared at what they thought was a bizarre scene straight out of "The twilight zone".

Serena saw the doors close. 'What the hell am I doing?' she thought as she covered one side of her face with one hand. 'I should be focusing on what I have to say to the technicians and be professional, not having fun with the president of the company. But I can't help it… when I'm around him, I feel so different… He makes me want to be so free… Like I want to forget the world around us and just live…' she felt herself slow down and checked to see if she arrived. She was on the 49th floor. 'Oh, c'mon.' The doors opened and revealed about 4 people coming into the elevator who all pressed different floors. 'Damnit. I'll never get the car at this rate,' she cursed to herself. Two of the people smiled at her and she smiled back, but she secretly wanted them all out. She loved cars and she wanted his, but she also wanted to go out with him. 'Ugh, I'm too competitive… if I lose, I'll be mad I didn't win and get the car, but if I win, I won't get the date…' She heard a faint "ding" and realized that there were more people trying to squeeze into the elevator. 'Crap…'

Darien saw the doors close. 'Alright 30th floor, here I come!' he thought. 'I better make it there first 'cause otherwise I'm going to be a president without a car and the tabloids would love to turn it into a "He's so poor that he sold his car" article. But, most importantly, I've been craving to talk to Serena without interruption since yesterday. I need to explain everything to her: last night… how I feel about her… I hope she doesn't make it there first…'

'Finally!!!' thought Serena as she came out of the elevator. Her ride down was the longest elevator ride she had ever been on. There were so many people coming in and out on practically all the floors. She paused and looked around. 'I don't see Darien though… maybe I made it first,' she said to herself as she looked left and right, trying to spot the ebony haired man. 'Well, guess I-'

"BOO!" came a loud voice behind her.

"Ah!!" she screamed as she turned around. There was Darien, standing there laughing hard at her. "You jerk! That's the second time you do that to me! I'll get you! At least I got your car," she said catching her breath from the shock.

"Who said you were here first? I've been here for a good 10 minutes now. I thought you might've been stuck in there."

"That's impossible! There are like a ton of people who come in and out!"

"True, true, but you don't have power like I do."

"You told them to stay out of the elevator?! That's cheating! You lied your way through them!"

"No I didn't. I told them that I needed to get down really quick and that they'd understand, which they did. And that's the truth. I did need to come down here quick or else I'd have lost my car."

"Fine, keep your car."

"And I get to take you out."

"Fine, a deal's a deal. I'm a woman of my word."

"Alright, don't plan anything for Saturday. We're going to spend the day together and you'll actually like it."

"If you say so…" replied Serena, still sore about losing.

"Aw cheer up, you're about to talk to the best scientists in the world. You should be excited!" he said mocking her.

"Ugh… Science was never my best subject. Why did I agree to do this?"

"Because you know Shields Inc. is the best," said Darien as he walked away, in the almost empty white hall.

'No it's because you're the best, Darien… you're why I'm here…' thought Serena as she followed him down the hall.

**Author's notes:** Well, there wasn't that much action in this chapter, but I promise there will be much, MUCH more in the next one! Keep checking for updates and keep reviewing! Take care! Have fun! Until next time… ^^


	6. New ideas

**Disclaimer:** The same… and McDonald's and any other company that might have copyrights that I have mentioned.

**Author's notes:** Well, once again, I'd like to thank all my fans (love all you readers out there!!) Sorry it has taken a while for me to continue my story, I just ended up being uninspired and well… time passed. But now I'm back so… ENJOY!!

**Chapter 6**

Serena followed Darien down the hall. It was surprisingly empty, except for a few people coming out with goggles and white coats. After a few minutes of turning corners and walking through hallways, Darien stopped at a burgundy-colored door. Serena peeped inside through the glass window and found that it didn't look like a laboratory or anything of the sort, but more like an office area, with several plans of what looked like plane blueprints on a few desks. A lot of people were talking and showing pictures and diagrams to each other. "Ready Serena?" asked Darien, looking behind his shoulder to see Serena's reaction.

"Yeah… As ready as I'll ever be," she told him nervously.

"Great," he said as they both walked in on everyone. Nobody seemed to pay attention to their presence and Darien was scouting the spacious room with his eyes. It seemed like he was looking for a specific person. Serena figured it was probably one of the scientists in charge. She had time to look at all the plane plans they had. She read a few ideas that she saw on a blackboard to her right, but they were all crossed off. She was surprised though because they sounded pretty good. She didn't know why Darien didn't approve them. She was surprised by a woman who appeared beside them.

"Ekatarina! Good to see you! You almost scared me there!" said Darien to the short chubby woman beside him. Serena observed her as they chitchatted for a few minutes. She looked like a woman in her early thirties, but she was pretty sure that she was in her fifties as she observed the early wrinkles of old age near her eyes. She still looked quite well even with the bit of pregnancy weight she never lost. She had bright green eyes and short auburn hair, proving that she was a strong-willed woman who colors her hair to cover the white strands that were starting to show.

"Voo iz your friend?" asked Ekatarina in a strong Russian accent; rolling her 'R's and talking in a melodic manner. (AN: No offense to all you Russians, I'm just trying to emphasize the accent.)

"This is Serena Lawrence, my new head of public affairs and she has come today with a bright new idea to propose to you guys."

"I see. Viz it something zat vill save your company?"

"I hope so," said Darien with a confident smile.

"Valright. My name iz Ekatarina Voronkova, head engineer. If you follow me, I'll find za quieter place," All three walked away towards, what Serena presumed to be her office. It was quite tidy and highly organized. Serena and Darien took a seat in front of her desk, while Ekatarina sat in her large comfy chair. "Vell? Vat will save me from being homeless?" she asked smiling directly at Serena.

"Well, it was just a random idea, on the spur of the moment. I thought that building a solar powered plane would be a great invention that could pull Shields Inc. out of the gutter. What could be more impressive is the fact that we could store solar energy in a battery look-alike. It's environment-friendly and-"

"Zid you say solar energy?" she said questioningly.

"Um… yeah," she replied nervously.

"Thzat vould never work," she said. "You vill have to find zanother idea."

"Why not? We already have solar power to provide energy into our homes. An-"

"Didn't Mr. Shields tell you vhat happened last time?" she asked in a more conversational than arrogant tone.

"Uh… the last time?" asked Serena turning to Darien.

"Don't look at me," he said. "Do I look like I know what she's talking about?"

"Mr. Shields! Vit vas a huge problem! VI vas there, ven it all happened!" said Ekatarina, shocked at his memory loss. "Vyou fired zhim for proposing such an idea!" Just then, Darien had a glimpse of the past and it wasn't pretty.

--Flashback--

"WHAT?!" Darien screamed into his phone, pounding his fist onto his desk. His outrage made it's way to his secretary, making her shudder a bit. "How could you have lost the deal, Drew?! We had them! We had them!"

"I know Dare! But they seemed kind of distant today, not like in our last meeting. They were sort of… secretive."

**DING!**

A tall skinny man, he recognized as Tim O'Donnell, the bright idea man as he liked to call him, was approaching, smiling brightly and he wasn't alone. He was with Ekatarina, the brightest of the group. Darien's secretary gave Tim a look of disapproval for she knew that it wasn't a good time to talk to Darien. Tim failed to see this look and opened the doors to his boss' office. "Mr. Shields! Mr. Shields! I have the greatest idea! It'll revolutionize the entire world!" he said loudly. "We could…" he continued as Darien kept raging into the phone. 'Damn scientists, always in their own little world…' he thought to himself.

"Drew! We're fucked now!! Didn't they tell you why they were backing out?!" he shouted ignoring Tim and thinking about how Drew could've lost the most important clients they would ever have.

"Dare! You know that'd be unprofessional of me! Why don't you just calm down and get a nice drink o-"

"Fuck the drink, Drew!" Darien's head was already pounding with a major headache and now Tim was bombarding him with science nonsense. "Do you understand where this puts us?! We've lost millions in one small meeting Drew!"

"Fuck, Dare! Don't blame this on me! So, we lost out! This isn't the first time it's happened! Lots of companies screwed us over! Even when your dad was here!" Darien would always be so edgy when it came to work and Andrew wasn't going to take it like a five year old.

"Well he isn't here anymore is he?! I'm the boss now! And you listen to me, you're lucky I'm still talking to you. I coulda fired you 30 seconds ago."

"You know, Dare… Sometimes I wish your dad was sitting in your seat, he would never have been an asshole."

"Fuck you," replied Darien calmly, but his eyes were still burning with rage. The dial tone resonated through his phone.

"And then, the rays from the sun would pack and lock themselves in these solar captors…" said Tim pointing to an area in his notes. Tim was so wrapped up in his new invention that he didn't notice Darien walking towards him in quick and firm strides.

"Who the fuck told you to come into my office?!" he screamed at the man. "You're talking bullshit while the company is going down the drains!!"

Tim was now fully alert and clutching his notes and diagrams with his hands. Ekatarina was slowly backing away, grabbing Tim lightly on the shoulder. "Mr. Shields, we don't mean any harm! We're scientists! Tim is on zhe verge of a discovery!"

"Oh I'm sure he is… He's about to discover the fact that he's fired!" Darien shouted. The words slipped out before he could stop himself. Tim's face was filled with shock, but he knew it was a matter of time before he would be fired. He was old. If he wasn't fired, he would have quit in a matter of weeks. He just didn't know that it'd be now. Now, out of all times. 'No.' he thought. 'I must get my ideas through!'

"I have figured out a way to make better planes! Better planes for the planet!" Tim said with a forced smile.

"Oh? And how do you suppose we would fund these planes, hm? We don't have money without clients and I don't suppose you'd be willing to share… So I have to find new ways to earn money. Laying off employees is one of 'em," said Darien looking down on the old man. 'Shit… I'm firing the best man out there…' he thought, but he was too proud to back down. 'Doesn't matter, I still have Ekatarina…' Deep inside he knew that they were an incomparable force when they worked together.

Tim was boiling inside. 'Fine! He doesn't even deserve my ideas!' "For the record MR. Shields, I have been here longer than you and you have never treated me like a human being! I have brought a great deal to your company and I'm actually glad you fired me… Actually, I quit!" he said throwing his badge at Darien's feet and facing Ekatarina who was as still as a rock, shocked at how bad the situation had become.

"Tim! You can't do this!" she said pleading. She caught up to him at the elevators, away from Darien's piercing gaze. They were like two peas in a pod. They had worked together for so long, she couldn't help but feel alone. "He'll be alright later. You can try again," she smiled sympathetically.

"Ekatarina, it's my time to go. My life's work is not enough for this man. If I can't give it to the best plane company in the world, the world is better off without it. It's fate. The world is not ready for new things; maybe it's better off that way… It's day will come, and you will be in charge of it," he whispered, handing her the papers.

"But, zI don't know half of zhe things you did! All thze formulas!" she said in a panicked tone.

"You'll figure them out one day… or maybe you won't. Someone will, but I know you'll take good care of it," Tim replied with a sad smile.

**DING!**

Darien watched as his former colleague and Ekatarina walked into the elevator. He had mixed feelings. He knew that what he did was wrong and cruel. But he was Darien Shields, head of Shields Inc. He could do what he wanted to do and it felt good.

--End of Flashback--

'Fuck I was an asshole…' thought Darien as he remembered.

"Well? What happened Darien?" asked Serena curiously. "Are you okay?" she asked, seeing Darien's pensive expression.

"An old employee of mine…" started Darien softly. "I fired him for no good reason. He had ideas about rebuilding planes using solar energy as its source of fuel, but I refused to listen. I was caught up with some other problem and the only way I could think of loosening everything up was by firing him. He was the best in his field and I regret my decision. I was too proud of a man. I'm sorry Ekatarina," he looked up to see Ekatarina's expression. She was surprisingly emotionless. He knew that it was hard for her to get back to work after Tim had gone. She finally gave a hint of a smile and a small nod. 'Zis Mr. Shields is very different… Must be the veather…' she thought.

"Well… maybe we can persuade him to join the company again!" exclaimed Serena half-heartedly.

"He died shortly after he left Shields Inc." said Ekatarina softly. "He left all his plans to me, but they vere like pieces to a puzzle. He vas very bright, but also very unorganized. My team and I gave up on finding zhe answers to vour many questions a long time ago," she smiled at Serena. "I know vat you are thinking: Get another bright scientist to help you! I have tried, but after vat happened to Tim... no one vants to try. Zat is vhy your idea vill not vork. I'm truly sorry."

"Well I guess it was too good to be true…" said Serena, slightly saddened by the situation. "I'm sure I'll find something else…" she said while getting up. Darien slowly followed.

"I'll let you get back to work Ekatarina," said Darien while opening the door for Serena.

"It was nice meeting you," added Serena.

"You as vell, Miss Lawrence."

With that they both strolled out of the office and walked back to the empty hallway. "I'm sorry I led you on…" started Darien. "About your ideas I mean…" he quickly added, seeing how Serena slightly raised her eyebrows. 'Smooth Darien… very smooth…' he thought to himself.

"It's alright. It was a stupid idea anyway… I mean solar power! Ha…" she said with a fake laugh.

"Yea… Yea it was…" said Darien with a teasing tone.

"Hey!" she retorted, hitting him on the arm.

"I was just kidding! I just completely forgot about that episode… I shouldn't have given you false hopes." 'I just feel so different around you. It's like my past doesn't matter anymore.'

"Oh don't beat yourself up over it! Things happen. I mean you didn't hire me just because of one idea…"

"Actually I did," he said with a coy smile. "How 'bout we discuss it over lunch? I'm getting kinda hungry…"

"Sure, I'm up for it!" she exclaimed ecstatically. They arrived in front of the elevators. Serena looked sideways with a mischievous smile. "Race you down the stairs! Last one pays for lunch!" she shouted as she bolted through the emergency doors.

"Hey!" Darien yelled as he quickly ran after her.

--

Darien burst through the emergency doors of the first floor, with a panting Serena behind him. "I win, you lose," he said, as a couple of workers turned around with quizzical looks. "You get to pay for lunch," said Darien proudly.

"But it's gotta be where I want," she said with a sore-loser tone.

"Fine by me. It's about time someone else paid for me…" And with that they both headed towards the parking lot.

--

"So, where are you taking me, Serena? To Daniel? Gotham's? Oceana?" asked Darien with a smile. He loved teasing Serena. He enjoyed seeing how quickly her expression would change.

"We're almost there…" she said, trying to hide the laugh that she so desperately wanted to unleash. "Ah… we're here," she said after a minute.

"M-McDonald's??" asked Darien incredulously. Serena burst out laughing.

"You said I could pick anywhere I wanted!" she said still laughing. "Besides, I'm in the mood for a burger!"

"At McDonald's?" said Darien still shocked.

"Oh c'mon Darien… It's not that bad. How long has it been since you've been to a fast food place?"

"Probably 10 years… I can't even remember the last time I came to one of these things. It's probably better that way. Do you know how greasy those things are?"

"Oh don't pull that argument on me. I've seen "Supersize me" and I know what the happens when you eat here. But once in a while is okay." She paused. "It's not gonna kill you. C'mon," she said as she got out of the car.

"Yea… but in the long run it will. If I die early because of this, I'm gonna haunt you from my grave," he said closing the door behind him.

"Ooooo, I'm sooooo scared." And with that they headed towards the entrance.

--

"Um… maybe YOU should see "Supersize me"," she said, looking at Darien with a mix of amazement and repulsion.

"THESE are sooo good Serena! I'm gonna eat here everyday! I can't believe I was missing out on this stuff all these years!" he exclaimed taking a bite in between each sentence.

"Darien… people are staring… maybe you should slow down and actually start chewing," said Serena looking around at the customers staring at the mountain of empty food boxes Darien had in front of him.

"Is that Darien Shields?" asked one of the customers to a friend standing beside her.

"Nah… it couldn't be! Why would he eat at McD's? He's loaded!"

"Well, he's probably cutting down on expenses! He's going bankrupt you know!"

"Oh riiiight! It must be him!" They waltzed away, leaving Darien staring blankly at his half-eaten Big Mac, nuggets and the four empty boxes, which were filled with a different burger from the menu, and two large cokes he ordered.

Serena looked at him sympathetically. "Don't mind them… They just need some gossip."

"No… no it's not that…" he said pausing, holding his stomach. "I think… I think I'm gonna be sick," he said jumping up from his chair, while clutching his stomach with one hand and covering his mouth with the other. He quickly turned and ran towards the bathrooms. Serena suppressed her laughter until she saw the two customers judging Darien a minute ago turn towards their table.

"I think there's something weird in the Big Mac," she said, gesturing to what was left of Darien's lunch. "It made him sick." And with that, those two customers and everyone who heard her with a Big Mac on their tray, got up, threw their tray contents into the closest trash can and left with disgruntled looks. Serena giggled to herself until Darien came back. "Where'd those two blabbermouths go?" he asked.

"Oh… I just told them there was something wrong with the Big Mac," she said, looking up innocently. Darien smiled. Incredible. She covered up for him. "Do you feel better?"

"Yea loads… I take back what I said about eating here everyday," he said, scratching his head.

"So, if we're pretty much done here, I think we should take a walk. Give your digestive system some time to cope."

"That's a good idea. Let's get outta here." With that they strolled out of the McDonald's and towards her car. She drove a while and finally found a parking spot close to central park. They both got out and headed to the largest green area of the city. There was silence between them, but it wasn't an awkward silence; it just felt nice to be in each other's company without having to exchange words. A small breeze was rustling through the trees, as they passed the pond. They crossed over the bridge and Darien turned to look at Serena's delicate features.

--

'She's so beautiful… her eyes… those lips… Why can't I just tell her how I feel? Maybe she's not ready… not after last night… She's so perfect… Look at me! I'm talking like a teenager! But her past affects her so much, I can't be selfish. I've gotta think about her and how she feels… She probably still thinks I'm with Michelle… That meddling idiot. I don't care if she knows what I did… It doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is Serena.'

--

'Why is he staring at me? Ok. Just look away Serena. Just look away. Maybe he's just trying to look at that tree over there. Why would he look at that tree? Oh god. Just act natural. It's so hard to act normal around him… There's this whole new side to him I just can't seem to understand. My heart beats so fast every time I'm with him… I think… I think I've fallen for him… But I can't be! I mustn't be! Think about last night Serena! He has a girlfriend… Just like Seiya did. It's all a game to him… but why does this feel so right?'

--

"Darien, I- Ahhh!" she screamed as she tripped over a small pothole. She felt herself nearing the ground.

"Gotcha," said Darien. He somehow quickly went in front of her and caught her in his arms. Serena blushed. She was mere inches from his face. "Thanks…" she whispered.

"Did you suddenly forget how to walk? You seem to be tripping a lot today..." Darien remarked. Serena's eyebrows narrowed at the comment. Darien smiled down at her and began closing the gap between them with his lips.

"Save our community center!" shouted a woman, bringing Darien and Serena back down to earth. Serena scrambled out of Darien's arms keeping her eyes to the ground. 'Damn it… so close…' he thought, sending invisible daggers to the disturbance. "Please! Help us protest the destruction of the home of many citizens!" she said handing them a small flyer as she quickly passed them. Serena shrugged at what just happened, or could've happened, off. She just had the brightest idea of her life. It wasn't ludicrous like the last thing she thought of. 'This one might actually work!' she thought. Darien saw the gleam in her eyes. "Spill it. What have you thought of now?"

"I think I might've found what could save your company!"

"Ah, another one," said Darien with lost hope.

"But I think this one might actually work! This is our answer!" she exclaimed handing him the flyer.

"You want me to stand in front of a bulldozer to protest?" asked Darien sarcastically.

"I wouldn't mind… but THIS will be the basis of our idea! This will save your image, everything!"

"I'm listening," he said in his business tone.

"I think you should renovate it," she said plainly.

"What?" he asked confused.

"You heard me! I want you to rebuild the community center! It says here that they're tearing it down because they don't have enough money to fix all the problems, plumbing, holes in the walls… Think about it! There are probably hundreds of people that go to this community center! It's the biggest one in Manhattan! It's practically a landmark! And now they want to tear it down. All these kids go there to hang out when they feel alone. Adults go there to take a break, to relax from it all. Lots of memories lie there! We could set up some sort of donation plan for it! I'm sure people would be glad to donate…"

"People barely want to give a quarter to the homeless!"

"But it's not a homeless person, it's a community center!"

"I think I liked our last idea better…"

"You can't go wrong with this one. People think Shields Inc. is just a marketing company, a brand company, whose money comes from planes and borrowing other companies. A company who's run by a bachelor who's only goal in life is to make money!"

"Is there a point to this?" asked Darien, slightly offended.

"By saving this community center you build a new reputation for yourself! People will start caring for Shields Inc. and realize that they _do_ need you!"

"What good will rebuilding a community center do? I won't be making any profit out of it."

"I know, but right now, you're not exactly everyone's favorite person. You have to rebuild your image, make it positive. In the meantime… why don't you take a second look at what your company has to offer?"

"What do you mean? It doesn't have anything to offer anymore."

"Sure it does! When I walked into the lab, I saw a blackboard filled with incredible ideas! Ideas that could work with the right people. And you already have one of them." 'Yeah…' he thought. 'You.' "Ekatarina! You didn't put her head of that department if she wasn't the best! She's probably waiting for the perfect opportunity to start working again. You just have to trust the people you work with, Darien. They're there to help; you just haven't given them a chance for a long time."

Darien then realized that over the years, he got more and more caught up with the idea of expanding Shields Inc. to other companies. Anything that wasn't about getting other companies to join his was blocked out of his mind. He had figured that the planes were doing well, he decided that finding new ideas for them would be useless since nobody needed them anymore. That was until the aviation industry needed finer planes, better planes, one that entertained their customers. By then, he had lost out on several important companies and it brought him to where he is now. He realized that he had been bitter about it and he knew his science team was top notch and had great ideas. But they had been shunned out by him. He is where he is today due to his own mistakes. He let everyone down. Now was the time to get back on his feet.

"I'll do it. I'll fix the community center," he said with determination. "But that still doesn't fix my money issues," said Darien.

"You could use my trust fund…" she said softly, quickly turning around in the direction where her car was parked to hide from his gaze.

"What?! No Serena. I can't possibly do that…" he said catching up to her. "Your dad earned that money for you. I can't just take it on a whim!"

"Darien, it isn't a whim. It'll work. Besides, I'm sure my dad won't mind and it was your dad's money to begin with. It's practically yours. He'll be glad I finally decided to go into the business field…"

"Serena… I owe you one," he said with a huge smile on his face.

"Don't worry Darien. It'll all work out."

"When are they tearing the place down?"

"Tomorrow at noon, so we should go to a news station and tell-"

"No."

"No? But I thought you wanted to help the center."

"I will." He paused. "Meet me there at 11:30 tomorrow?" he smiled at her.

"Of course," she replied, smiling back. She was surprised that Darien would actually go for an idea she pulled out of a hat. 'Darien Shields rebuilding the community center,' she thought as a headline. 'If he had been proposed the idea a year ago, it would've probably ended up in the garbage… What changed?'

For the first time in a long while, Darien felt like he was helping the world. He knew that he built planes, but this feeling was different. It was utter compassion that drove him to accept Serena's idea. 'She comes up with the most weirdest things…' he thought. 'It always has to be grandiose. She's always trying to help the good of humanity.'

"Let's go home," Serena said suddenly.

"I have to get back to the office and check up on things. I need to tell Andrew the good news."

"Can't you just call him?" Serena asked, a tad irritated. She wanted to spend more time with him.

"Can't let me go huh Serena?" said Darien with a chuckle.

She blushed. "Don't flatter yourself. Just because every other girl is swooning over your good looks doesn't mean I am."

"So you think I have good looks?" he asked smirking.

'Shit,' she thought. 'This isn't working out for me.' "I mean you aren't part of the ugly demographic…" she replied blushing more and more by the second.

"You aren't either," he said striding towards the now visible car. Serena stopped walking and looked at him walk away. 'Did he just say I was pretty? Why?'

"C'mon slow poke! You're still scheduled you know!" shouted Darien as he stood beside the Ferrari. Serena smiled and jogged towards him smiling.

--

They arrived at the office and went all the way to the top floor to see Andrew. But he wasn't alone. Through the open doors, Serena could see a black-haired figure. She couldn't see his face, but he seemed vaguely familiar. "Ah, Darien. I've been trying to reach you. We have company," said Andrew with a serious face. As he got up, so did the other person. 'No, it can't be…' Serena thought. 'It can't be…'

"This is Seiya De Marco. Vice-president of Blake Corporation."

'Oh. My. God!' thought a panicked Serena.

"It's nice to meet you," said Darien, noticing Serena's expression.

"Same here," said Seiya, taking an eye-full of Serena's appearance. 'My, my, my Serena… how beautiful you've become,' he thought. "I've come to talk business on behalf of Mr. Blake himself. He has a proposition for you. So, if you want, we could talk here or over dinner."

"I'm not hungry," said Darien categorically. Seiya's reaction to seeing Serena did not go unnoticed. "If you could just go to my office… I have something to discuss with my colleague."

"I'll take him," said Serena unconsciously. 'Why did I just say that?' she thought.

"Um… you sure?" asked Darien.

"Yeah, it's no problem Darien. I'll keep an eye on him," she answered with a small smile. With that, she turned around, Seiya following closely behind. Darien closed the door behind him.

"What the fuck does he want?" asked Darien keeping his tone down, thinking about how bizarre Serena had just acted.

"Didn't you hear him? He wants to make a deal. He didn't tell me anything, at least not the specifics. Mr. Blake knows about our situation and he is willing to help us out."

"What's the catch?"

"We have to give him full custody of any of our future plans regarding our planes."

"That's not happening."

"But he's offered to give us salaries again, Dare! We're not gonna be broke!"

"Drew, I'm not selling what my whole family has been doing for generations just because of _one_ rough patch. I'm not gonna give up. Not now," he said determined. "Besides, I've talked with Serena and we came up with a good plan."

"Really. Let me guess, solar energy?"

"No. We came up with something greater, something that'll change the company's image forever."

"Sounds grand!" exclaimed Andrew. Darien then proceeded to explaining the whole community center situation and how Serena would help them out for a bit.

"Hm... It's a little risky, but this just might work."

"That's what I told you. And it's all thanks to Serena."

Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Ok, get off cloud 9. Why haven't you wooed her yet?"

"It's not that easy, Drew… She's fragile…"

"Ok… whatever man… you've been going gaga over her for almost a week now and you still haven't asked her out. This has got to be some sort of new record for you man."

"Drew…"

"What?"

"Shut up," said Darien as he opened the door. They both headed towards Darien's office.

--

Meanwhile, in Darien's office…

Serena closed the door behind her. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same question," he replied. "You're working for Shields Inc. now huh. I gotta say I didn't think you had it in you. Following daddy's footsteps." He paused and looked at her. She looked like she did seven years ago, on that fateful day. He didn't actually mean for things to happen the way they did. They were young, he overreacted. He regretted the day he broke up with her. "So… are you dating Mr. Shields? Or should I say Darien? That is what you called him earlier, isn't it?"

Serena couldn't believe him, just asking personal questions like that. But was that a hint of sadness in his voice? Even jealousy maybe? "That's none of your business, Seiya."

"You're right, sorry." There was a slight pause. Seiya moved closer to Serena. "Listen, Serena… about what happened all those years ago…"

"Seiya don't…" she started, as her tears welled up.

"Serena…" He realized that he really did hurt her, but it wasn't his fault. He had to keep his cool image. He didn't want to look like a loser. As he thought about it now, he realized that it was all so stupid. He lost the girl he loved because of one stupid game. "Serena I know I hurt you. I was just angry that you had slapped me. It seemed like everyone forgot about the bet. I wanted to tell you earlier… when I fell for you. But I was afraid you'd hate me forever… I wanted us to work. I didn't mean all those things… I was young and I had a reputation to keep. Raye was the most popular girl in school, I was the most popular guy… It seemed natural at the time." He looked up and saw Serena wiping tears from her eyes. He didn't think it was helping very much. He went on, "Serena, I just want you to know, that during the time we were together, I wasn't sleeping with Raye. And, when I was with her, I was thinking about you and the next time I'd see you. She was a mistake. I don't know what I saw in her. That day… it was all an act. I was so stupid, Serena… I never loved her. But I loved you. I knew that, the moment I wasn't with you anymore." He got closer to her.

"Don't Seiya…" she sobbed. "Do you realize that ever since that happened I've been afraid of men who get too close?? I'm scared _every time_. 'What if they're all like Seiya?' I ask myself. 'Will they just use me and throw me out afterwards?' So if it's forgiveness you're looking for, you'll never get it," she was practically shouting.

"Serena I didn't realize it was so hard for you-"

"No, of course you didn't… it was all a game…"

He lifted his hand to her cheek. "Serena, I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I just want you to know that I really didn't mean to and that I've always loved you. Now more than ever."

Serena looked up into his black eyes. She remembered what it felt like to look into them. They were warm and welcoming. They weren't mocking her. He was telling the truth. 'He's loved me all along…' she thought. Her heart was beating fast as he wiped away the remaining tears from her cheeks. She felt him getting closer. 'He's going to kiss me.' "I'm so sorry Serena…" he whispered. With that he bent down and kissed her. It was filled with with passion; it felt like old times.

--

**CLICK**

"Sorry about the wai-"

Serena's eyes flew open as she heard Darien's voice. She quickly pushed Seiya off. But it was too late. Darien had already seen what had happened. His eyes were furious. Andrew was beside him as well and had also seen the kiss. "Well, Serena, if you could leave us alone, we've got business to talk about," Andrew said, eyeing her questioningly.

"O-of course! I'll just be out of your way. I'll um… just… wait outside." She went out and closed the door behind her.

--

Her head was a whirlwind. She put her hand to her lips and sat on a nearby couch. She was thankful that there was no secretary to pry. 'Seiya just kissed me. I just kissed Seiya… Do I even like Seiya?? Why did I let him do that?' she stopped to think, but no rational thought came out. 'Darien… oh Darien… Why do I feel like I've betrayed you somehow? I'm not even your girlfriend. I shouldn't feel bad. Besides you have Michelle…' She felt a pang to her heart. 'Seiya still loves me though… it feels like all those times years ago… I was happy back then… But I'm happy now. Darien's been there for me all this time… Ugh… I don't know what to do…'

--

Darien didn't dare look at Serena. He was hurt. He kept his eyes on Seiya. 'What the heck did he think he was doing? Who is he? How does he know Serena?' he thought angrily. "Mr. De Marco, please take a seat," said Darien, controlling his anger.

"Right. Thanks," replied Seiya. 'So… this bloke has feelings for Serena… I've always liked competition…' he thought. "So, I'm sure Mr. Garner has told you about our proposal. We would like to give you a percentage of what we are earning in exchange for your future plans in the plane industry. It will evidently save you from your present predicament. We are also willing to raise all of your employee's salaries and give you 40 percent of what the future planes will give us."

"I cannot accept your offer," said Darien.

"I can assure you that there are no hidden fees, no fine print."

"I gave you my answer. This has been my family's life work and you expect me to give it all away in one shot. I'm not going to let Blake Corporation take it. I'm not going to let YOU take anything." He looked at Seiya straight in the eye.

"Fine, Mr. Shields. It's your choice. But we, nor I, will go down without a fight." He smirked, taking Darien's challenge. They weren't talking about the proposal anymore.

"Right then," said Andrew, clearing the tension. "I will escort you down to the lobby Mr. De Marco."

"Why not let your pretty assistant do it?" he asked, taunting Darien.

"I assure you that I am perfectly capable of doing it myself. So if you'll follow me…" Andrew gestured to the door. With that, they walked out. There was Serena, looking as torn as ever. She looked up and saw Seiya beside Andrew who had a disapproving look on his face. "Here's my card Serena. Call me whenever you feel like it. I don't want to pressure you into anything." Seiya smiled sympathetically. Serena nodded.

**DING!**

The elevator was already on the floor and she watched as both men walked into it. She turned around and saw Darien standing at the foot of his door. Serena fixed her skirt and walked towards him putting on a fake smile. 'Just act like an adult Serena. You've done nothing wrong,' she thought. "That was quick. Did the meeting go well?" she asked.

"Not really, no," he said coldly. She walked into his office and he proceeded to close the door.

"About what happened when you walked in…" she started.

"Hey. It doesn't matter, you can kiss all the guys you want. It's your body. Just don't do it in my office," he said nonchalantly. He sounded like a school teacher reprimanding a five year old for spilling paint on the floor.

"For your information, he's not just some guy. I knew him back in high school. Qe… used to date." She looked at him. 'He doesn't care…' she thought.

"Well, he clearly wants to start that again… But that's not the point. He wanted to take hold of all Shields' future plans in the plane industry. And in exchange, we'd get part of the profits and our present situation solved," he told her.

"Did you accept?" she asked, scared he accepted and forgot all about their own plans.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Of course I didn't accept!" he exclaimed, looking at her condescendingly.

"Good," she said, feeling awkward. 'That's weird… it's never _this_ awkward between us.'

"Although, I think I should've," he said walking to his desk.

"What? What about the community center and what we agreed to do earlier?"

"C'mon Serena. I can't possibly do a thing like that. I'll be the laughing stock of the year. I have to resort to a community center for crying out loud! That's ridiculous. Business should stick to business."

"But, but we agreed…" Serena said sadly. She looked up at Darien and saw that he changed. He looked like the old Darien. The Darien she was glad she didn't know. The one she saw in all the magazines. The one everyone hated. She felt hurt. His expression was unreadable. "So you're gonna let the hopes of everyone in this city down? You're just gonna hand your company over just like that? What will your dad think??"

"I'll negotiate something. That's what it's all about. Now if you'll excuse me… I've got work to do."

"I could stay if you want me to help you out-" she said.

"That's alright. I'll get a ride from Drew later. Besides, your boyfriend might want to see you tonight."

Serena frowned at his comment. 'How could I think I could actually like this guy?! He's such an arrogant jerk!' "Fine. I guess we won't see each other tomorrow."

"Nope," he answered, dialing some number.

Serena was suddenly very angry. "Don't you want to be there when it gets destroyed? I mean don't you want to be there to see the expression on everyone's face when it goes down? Their home crumbling to pieces… Everyone's last hope cowering because of _your _image…?" she didn't wait for his answer and walked out of his office, slamming the door behind her. Darien stared at the closed door. 'I guess it just wasn't meant to be…' he thought, putting the phone down. 'But it felt so right… so perfect… What am I going to do with you...'

--

**Author's notes:** Ahh!! What will happen between Darien and Serena? Or should I say _Seiya_ and Serena? The suspense is killing me! I'M not even sure what's going to happen yet… Stay tuned for the next chapter! Review please! xoxo


	7. Seiya or Darien?

**Disclaimer: **The usual.

**Author's notes:** I'm glad all of you like the last chapter! As for updating faster, I try really hard to find time to write. I do go to University and it's my biggest year. But don't worry, I'll try to write a bit each day, so don't be frustrated if a chapter comes in later than the last one. Anyways…here's the next chapter. I think this one should be a tad more interesting… Hope you like it!

**Chapter 7**

"Seiya you came back…" Serena's voice was soft and distant.

"Of course I came back… I've been trying to find you all these years… And now that I have, I'm going to keep you close to me forever…"

"Seiya…" she said before she closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss. "Mmmm… Oh Seiya…" she opened her eyes. "D-Darien?"

"Yes it's me Serena."

"Shouldn't you be with Michelle?"

"Why would I be with her when it's you that I love…" he replied. "I love you and only you… only you… only you…"

--

"And that was Justin Timberlake with LoveStoned…" said the radio announcer.

"Ugh…" moaned Serena as she pressed the off button on her alarm clock. 'What a weird dream… Darien sounded so sincere, so real… It doesn't matter now, it was only a dream.'

"WOOF!" Blaze came trotting into her room, taking her out of her reverie.

"Hi there baby… Are you hungry? Give mommy a minute and I'll get you some food." With that Blaze went out of her room. She gave herself a big stretch, climbed out of her bed and went to the kitchen where Blaze was waiting patiently. Serena opened the cupboard under the sink and dragged Blaze's heavy food bag over to his bowl, where she filled it up. She then went back into her room and headed for her closet. A white card caught her eye. She picked it up. 'Oh. This thing…' she thought as she remembered Seiya handing it to her. 'God… What am I gonna do? Seiya was the first guy I loved. We were so good together… at least, while it lasted. We had so much fun together. But, what about Darien? He's always been there for me lately. But he's changed somehow… His eyes were so different… so empty… lifeless… Maybe he's done with me. He just used me for his stupid company. But it felt so… real. Ugh, don't delude yourself Serena-' her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Amy's voice. "Serena? You up yet?"

"I'm in the bedroom!"

"Hey how are you?" asked Amy as she gave Serena a huge hug.

"Confused," answered Serena blankly.

"Confused? Why?" she asked as she sat on the undone bed.

"Oh Amy… Everything's so complicated… Look," she said as she handed her the small card.

"Oh my… Seiya's back?"

"Mmhm."

"In New York?"

"Mmhm."

"And he saw you?"

"Mmhm. We even kissed…" said Serena looking at her friend worriedly.

"What?!"

"I know! Amy what am I gonna do??" she cried as she flopped down onto her bed, on her back.

"Tell me how it happened."

"I don't know! It just did! In Darien's office. He came with a business proposition 'cause he's vice-president of Blake Corp., but Darien had to talk to Andrew and I was left alone with Seiya. He apologized for everything, Ames. He told me that he actually loved me and that he was too young to comprehend what true feelings were. Then we kissed. And now that he's back he wants to spend some time with me, but he doesn't wanna pressure me, 'cause he understands that I've been hurt and that's why he gave me this card."

"And now you don't know if you want Darien or Seiya," said Amy, understanding her dilemma.

"Well, not exactly… I feel like Darien's different… back to his old self again. Cold. I think he just used me, but I can't help but feel like there's something wrong. There's something he's not telling me…"

"Do you still love Seiya?"

"I… I don't know… He's the first guy I ever truly loved. What I felt with him was unique, special…"

"But you like Darien…"

"Maybe…? I can't possibly like a condescending jerk like him! Besides, he's too wrapped up in his company, especially now. He'd never have time for me."

"Oh Serena…" said Amy, looking sadly at her best friend. "Maybe you should talk to Mina. She's an expert at these things." She smiled reassuringly.

"I think I will…" she replied, closing her eyes.

"Well, I'll leave you to do just that. I'll go take Blaze for our morning run."

"Thanks for listening Ames."

"Anytime, Serena. Take care!" Serena waited for the door to close before she picked up her home phone and dialed Mina's number.

"Hello?" said a groggy voice, which Serena recognized as Mina's.

"Mina? It's Serena. I've got to talk to you. It's important."

"Can it wait? I sorta have company…"

"Company? At 7:30 am?" asked Serena dumbfounded.

"Yes… now can you call back in 5 minutes… make that 20…" she giggled.

"Mina! It's important!"

"Stop it Andrew…"

"Andrew?! You're with Andrew??"

"Uh… yeah Sere… Can you call back later?"

"Mina please! It's about Seiya."

"Seiya? Why do you want to talk about Seiya?" Mina asked extremely curious.

"Oh god… now Andrew's gonna know," she replied frustrated.

"Uh yeah… he knows who you're talking about and he feels like he deserves an explanation."

"I don't owe him anything. He's not concerned."

"But Darien is," said a man's voice.

"Andrew! Put Mina back on the phone," she said through clenched teeth.

"You're on speaker, Sere!" said Mina in the background.

'Great...' Serena thought. "I can't talk to you in front of Andrew!"

"If it concerns Seiya, it concerns Darien. If it concerns Darien, it concerns me," said Andrew. "Seiya's arrival has completely changed him for the worse! He's back to his old lunatic self. So if I wanna help Darien, you gotta help me. And the only way you can do that is by telling me about this Seiya guy."

"Fine! I don't care anymore!" said Serena exasperated.

"Calm down, Sere! Just tell him everything," said Mina.

"Well this is gonna be hard… Promise me you won't tell Darien about what I'm about to tell you."

"I promise. Scouts honor."

"Right, it all started…" Serena decided to tell her long and awful tale. Somehow this time it didn't hurt as much as before. 'It must be 'cause Seiya actually loved me…' she thought. "And that's when Darien became distant."

"I'm so sorry Serena… Now I know what Darien meant when he said you were fragile…"

"What?"

"N-nothing… I'll pass you Mina," he said quickly and turned off speaker phone.

"Sere?"

"Yeah. Are you alone?"

"Andrew's getting dressed; he's about to leave for work. I'm in the bathroom now."

"Good. Mina what am I gonna do? I think I still feel something for Seiya, but I can't help the fact that Darien brings out the best of me. I had the weirdest dream last night and they were both in it! And yesterday Seiya and I kissed in Darien's office!"

"No way!" Mina shrieked.

"It was dizzying… and somewhat wonderful… He apologized for everything! He was so sweet and sincere…"

"How do you know he was sincere?"

"The way he looked at me with those eyes… If there's one thing I learned from our relationship was that his eyes never lied…"

"So you finally jumped out of Denial River and admitted you actually like Darien."

"I don't like him! It's just I feel like I've betrayed him somehow… Besides, he has a girlfriend."

"Ugh, God Serena! Sometimes I think your hair color affects your thinking. You like him! Just admit it! You want Darien, but you want Seiya because you know it'll work! You're afraid of taking chances with Darien and you find excuses to not be with him! It doesn't matter if he has a girlfriend! All that matters is that you love him! He's probably just waiting for you Serena. All this time he's waited and now Seiya shows up, he's probably devastated and thinks he has no chance with you. Just tell him Serena! Tell him how you feel."

"You've got it all wrong Mina… I can't like him. I'm probably just another pawn on his chessboard. I just can't. Why would he possibly like me?"

"Sere! Just tell him!"

"There's nothing to tell! Besides he doesn't wanna see me anymore, he doesn't want my help. He just used me for my ideas until a brighter one came along. Just like his girlfriends…" Serena saddened at the thought.

"Oh Serena…"

"Don't worry. I was just blinded by his good looks! It was only a silly girl crush!" said Serena, trying to sound happy.

"You sure you'll be ok?" Mina asked, not entirely convinced.

"Of course! I'll just call Seiya up and it'll all be perfect." 'Just perfect…'

"Alright… I gotta go say goodbye to Andrew. Call me later."

"Sure. Talk to you soon."

"Love ya."

"Same here." And with that, Serena hung up. She turned and went to her living room. It got too quiet. She turned the TV on, the news channel was playing. "Today will be the last day we'll ever see this building again. At noon sharp, the city will attend the destruction of the most beloved community center in town…"

'The community center! I've got to try to convince Darien to help, even if he doesn't wanna talk to me.' And with that final thought, she hurried into the shower.

--

**DING!**

Andrew waltzed onto the top floor. He was surprised to see Darien already working on God knows what. "Morning Dare."

"Morning," he said without looking up. "I'm gonna need you to make a few calls from this list of companies…"

"Darien. I spoke to Serena this morning. She told me everything."

Darien froze at the sound of Serena's name. "What makes you think I care?"

"Oh c'mon Dare! You may fool yourself but you ain't foolin' me. You're crazy about that girl!"

"It doesn't matter anymore. I've got a company to run and she CLEARLY doesn't want anything to do with me."

"You don't even know that whole story."

"And I suppose you do?" he said skeptically.

"As a matter of fact, I do," he retorted smugly. "She called this morning to talk to Mina about something important, so I figured it was about Seiya. I made her tell me about him. Turns out, he used to date her back in high school. She was madly in love with him. And then he broke up with her due to certain circumstances and he never actually realized that he loved her… until now."

"And she still has feelings for this guy, I presume?"

"Well, yeah… she wouldn't be sucking his face if she didn't, now would she."

Darien looked at him annoyingly as images from yesterday resurfaced. "So why are you telling me this?"

"I came to tell you that you still have a chance with her." He paused. "C'mon Dare! Five minutes after talking to the guy you were back to your old self! Serena brought out the best in you man. She was the best thing that ever happened to you, after me of course…" he said smirking. He waited for Darien's reaction, until he finally glanced up. "Listen, Dare, you and I both know that that girl isn't just some random girl you pick up on the street. And I know that she's the only one who can make you smile for more than 15 minutes. She's been good to you. You can't just let her walk away, just because of _one_ guy."

Darien listened to his best friend as he told him his 1001 truths. 'He's right,' he thought. 'Serena brought so much more in my life than anyone ever had. It's like she washed away all the errors I'd done. Since yesterday, I can't stop thinking about her. She was even in my dreams… It felt so real… Seiya was in it too. But she was mine in the end… Her smile, the smell of her hair, the softness of her skin… Oh Serena, you probably hate me now with the way I reacted yesterday. How can you possibly come back to me knowing what I said to you?'

"Earth to Darien?" said Andrew waving his hand in front of his friend's face.

"Thanks Drew. You're a true pal," he said smiling. He hurried towards the elevator.

"Where are you going?" asked Andrew confused.

"I'm gonna save the community center," he said before leaving the floor.

"Guess I won't have to make any calls…" said Andrew, crumpling the paper with several companies' numbers on it.

--

'I've got to hurry…' thought Serena. 'I've got to see Darien…' She was now honking madly at the cars in front of her. 'Why did I decide to drive in New York??' she thought frantically. She was a couple of blocks away and it was 10:30.

--

"Finally!" she screamed as she got out of her car. She ran to the elevator and caught it just in time. She pressed the button for the top floor several times, until it finally closed. The ride seemed longer than usual. She looked at her reflection in the reflective walls. She fixed up her hair and straightened her clothes. She had a hard time deciding what to wear this morning. She didn't know if she should dress in business clothes or just go casual. She decided casually dressy, figuring that she wasn't going to be working with Darien anymore but that she needed to look nice. 'What was I thinking? Now he's probably gonna think I like him or something. I shoulda gone for the business suit.' She straightened her black, off the shoulders, sweater which was tied with a decorative belt under her bosom. Her brown knee length skirt covered her black boots.

**DING!**

'Please be here Darien, please…' she thought, not necessarily for the community center. "Darien! I need to talk to you!" she said walking into his spacious office. "Darien?" he wasn't in there. 'Shit…' she thought sadly.

"You lookin' for Darien, Serena? You just missed him," popped in Andrew.

Serena looked to the floor. 'I knew this was stupid...'

"But... you just might catch him in time for his speech," said Andrew, turning away.

"His speech?" Serena asked, not comprehending.

"Yup. His speech to save the community center," he replied smiling.

"What? But… I thought…" started Serena.

"He had a change of heart… Now go to him."

"You didn't say anything, did you?"

"Of course not," he lied. It was for a good deed though, so it doesn't count. "But I do deserve some credit," he told her, smiling smugly.

"Thanks Andrew," she said walking briskly passed him to the elevator.

'Ah… young love…' he thought before returning to his office.

--

Darien finally arrived on seen. Heads were turning. Police officers were telling him to get off the premises. News casters were heading towards him. 'This is it. This is for you, Serena. I hope this works.' With that he walked into the awaiting crowd.

--

'Oh God. I hope I'm not too late,' she thought. It was already 11:30. 'Half an hour to go…' She drove through the traffic as fast as she could. When she got there, Darien was standing on a small podium in front of a very large crowd. Cameras were everywhere and there were lots of bystanders, who were women of course. 'There weren't this many people on the news this morning!'

"Good morning people of New York." Darien's voice rang through a megaphone he borrowed from an officer. Serena parked her car randomly and hurried to stand behind the raging crowd of women. "I have come today not as Mr. Shields, head of Shields Inc. but as Darien, a citizen of this city. This community center is not merely a building for recreational purposes; it is the home of 50, even hundreds of New Yorkers everywhere. Sure, it has its problems, but I'm not going to let the city destroy a place that brought joy to so many of you. This is why I am buying this property and replacing any damage that has been left to it."

"You can't do that! Plans have already been made!" said the mayor who was now glowing red.

"I'm sure they have Mayor. I am willing to pay you the cost of this land and any effort that has been put into its future plans."

"You can't do that! This belongs to the city-"

"You're wrong. This place belongs to the _people_ of this city." He gestured to the crowd and he saw her, all the way in the back, staring right back at him with those wonderful blue eyes of hers. 'Serena…?' "Hum… I am part of this city and I'm going to buy this place no matter what you say. This is a landmark that has a place in the hearts of this community. As mayor, you should serve your people according to their needs. And they need this place," he finished as the crowd broke into applause. Darien hadn't taken his eyes off of her. Serena locked eyes with his and for a moment, the sound of applause disappeared. She was alone with Darien; staring at the man she loved...? 'No, Serena, you don't love him. You're not here 'cause you like him; you're just here as a spectator. A normal spectator.'

"Who woulda thought that Darien Shields would do such a thing? It's so not his style," said a woman beside Serena, which brought her out of her thoughts.

"Doesn't matter. He's even sexier now!" the other said as they walked away.

"There you have it folks, Mr. Darien Shields saving the community center! You heard it first on NY1 News!"

Serena turned to look at the podium, but Darien wasn't there anymore. 'Where'd he go?' She looked around her frantically, but to no avail. The crowd was already starting to move out. She tried looking for that head of jet black hair. She couldn't see him. She felt a hand grab hers. 'Darien,' she thought with a smile and she turned around to look at… "Seiya?" her heart sank.

"Nice to see you too, Serena," he said as she turned to face him.

"What, what are you doing here?" she asked still surprised.

"I saw it on the news this morning. I wasn't doing anything special so I figured I'd come check it out. I've never seen a building get destroyed live before… I have to admit, it was a smooth move coming from Darien Shields…" He had emphasized the name of his rival as he gestured with his chin towards the small crowd of news reporters who were surrounding Darien. Darien kept waving off the crowd. Serena could tell he was saying no comment. 'He hates reporters…' She smiled at the thought. She was too wrapped up in her own mind that she didn't see the van coming straight for her.

"Careful!" shouted Seiya, as he pulled her close. A news van had almost hit her; the driver wasn't paying attention, he was on his cell phone. Serena was so close to Seiya, she could feel his soft breath and the thump of his heart. 'It's beating so fast…' She was looking into his eyes.

'You're so beautiful Serena… I can't believe I let you go…' thought Seiya before he decided to kiss her.

"Seiya… I…"

--

Darien climbed down the tiny podium with a furious mayor. "I will be sending someone from my office to meet with you first thing Monday morning. They will have paperwork and my payment for this community center."

"Mr. Shields, you cannot do this! This is preposterous!"

"Mayor, think of it as saving your life. If you had blown this place up to bits you would have the wrath of a thousand people around you. There are some crazy people out there, who knows what they would've done to you had you destroyed it."

"Argh… I'll call the cops!"

"Do try. Now, if you'll excuse me Mayor, I have some business to attend to."

Darien was a powerful man and for the first time in his life, he used his power for good. As he headed to where he thought Serena was, a bunch of news cameras were cramming into his breathing space. 'This is one thing I hate about being me…' "Mr. Shields! Mr. Shields! What possessed you to do this? It's not in your usual habits! Why this place? Why now?" they all shouted at the same time.

"Please. No comment."

"But Mr. Shields!"

"No comment," he kept repeating over and over until he finally spotted Serena who was staring back. Darien frowned as he noticed Seiya beside her. 'What the heck is he doing here? Can't these pesky news people move?! Oh no… that van is heading towards Serena. I've gotta get her out of the way! But I can't move with these people harassing me! Move Serena! Move!' He watched as Seiya pulled Serena into his arms. 'Shit. I will not let him kiss her again…' With all his strength, he pushed through the crowd and ran quickly to Serena.

--

"Serena!"

She turned around to see Darien running towards her with the huge mob of news people. Seiya turned annoyingly to the disturbance. 'What the…?' she thought.

"You've gotta get me outta here," he said, proud of his plan to separate Seiya from her. "Quick! Where's your car?" he asked searching for it.

"It's right there!" she shouted as she saw the news mob approaching faster. Before they knew it, they were running as fast as they could towards her Ferrari. As soon as they were all in, Serena sped off.

"Well, that was a rush!" said Seiya, from the backseat.

'What the hell is he still doing here? He must've gotten in from Serena's side,' thought Darien. He was too busy running from those people that he completely forgot about Seiya's presence.

"Well that's what you get when you're the most powerful man in New York," said Darien plainly.

"Second most powerful," retorted Seiya.

"And you think Blake can beat me."

"He already has…" he smirked.

Darien quickly spun around. "Listen you fuc-"

"Darien, that's enough!" Serena shouted and he sat back down shocked. Serena looked at her rear-view mirror and stared hardly at Seiya who was smirking. His expression faded away as he felt her piercing angry eyes on him. Silence fell upon them. The tension was high.

"How 'bout… we get some lunch?" asked Serena tentatively.

"I'm up for it," chipped in Seiya, looking at Darien. "How 'bout you _Darien_?" he asked, looking for a challenge.

'Ugh… I can't stand this guy! I'd probably kill him if I spend one more second with him.' "Actually Serena, I think I'll head hom," he said regretfully. "The press has probably surrounded Shields Inc. and they're probably looking for me everywhere. Just leave me here. The apartment's not that far," he finished, looking at her.

"You sure? My treat?" she asked. She wanted Darien to be with her. She didn't want to be left alone with Seiya.

"And end up at McDonald's?" He smiled. She smiled back remembering yesterday. "I've got a couple of phone calls to make anyway."

"Well… alright then," said Serena mournfully, as she pulled to a stop. "I guess you can come up front Seiya."

"You guys enjoy yourselves. I'll talk to you later Serena." With that, Darien got out and slammed the door right on Seiya's head as he was about to slip out. "Oww!" he heard him scream. Serena looked through the passenger window disapprovingly. Darien simply lifted his shoulders in an 'I don't know what happened' manner and looked at her one last time before she sped off. 'Was that sadness in her eyes? Nah… why would it be? She's with the love of her life, why would she be sad about leaving me behind? What am I gonna do about this… Maybe I shoulda stayed. Now who knows what they could be doing?? Ugh… _I_ don't even wanna know. I've gotta figure some-'

**RING!**

'Stupid phone…' He went through his pocket and took out his phone. El estupido was displayed. "What do you want, Drew?"

"Just checkin' up on my good old buddy. You ARE your old self again right?" asked Andrew unsure.

"I suppose."

"Good. Well the phones here have been ringing off the hook. You should think about hiring a secretary again!" he laughed. "All these news stations, radio stations, everyone wants to hear about 'How Darien Shields changed'. Even Serena's on the news! Along with Seiya of course… Here listen to this.' There was a clank as Andrew put his phone closer to the TV in his office, where a woman spoke.

"_Tonight on Extra... our cover story: Darien Shields, friend or foe? He saved our community center but why was he spotted with Seiya De Marco? Are they actually making a deal we aren't supposed to know about? Why is he fraternizing with his enemy? And who is this blond beauty? Has Mr. Shields found a new mistress? Or has he finally decided to settle down? Join us at 7 to find out more!"_

"Why _were_ you with Seiya anyways?" asked Andrew turning the TV off.

"He was just there, like a stalker, with Serena."

"Right… and where is he now?"

"With… Serena."

"What?! You left him. Alone. With Serena," he said robotically.

"Well what was I supposed to do? One more second with that guy and I woulda-"

"Ok, I get the point. But you did listen when I told you they used to date, right?"

"Yeah! But killing him isn't exactly gonna win her over Drew."

"Hey you don't know that… maybe that's exactly the type of thing she needs to get out of her Seiya phase and actually _look_ at you."

"Get real, Drew. It's not that easy… I just don't get why it's so easy for him."

"They have a history. You don't. YOU've gotta make one." He paused. "Dare? Didn't you say you won a bet for a date with her on Saturday?"

"Yea, so what?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

Darien smiled. He knew what to do. "Drew, I gotta go. History starts tomorrow." With that he closed is cell phone and walked briskly through the streets of New York.

--

"That Darien Shields should work on his people skills," said Seiya, rubbing his head.

"He didn't do it on purpose…" she replied, half-lying. 'I do admit it was funny seeing Seiya scream the way he did.'

"So where do you wanna eat?" asked Seiya. "McDonalds?"

"McDonalds?" She giggled.

"Well, Darien mentioned it before…"

"I'm not going to eat there twice in a week. Besides that was… a special time…" she said as she dreamed about their Central Park stroll and how she fell into-

"How 'bout sushi then?" 'She's thinking about him… I can tell,' he thought from the backseat. 'I've gotta make him disappear from her life. But first thing's first: I gotta win her back.' "You still like sushi, right?"

"Yes of course! Sushi sounds good! Anywhere in particular you'd like to go to?" she asked.

"There's an excellent one on 55th." He looked at her longingly. "After all these years, you haven't changed one bit…"

"Well, of course I've changed…" she said.

"No… you're still as beautiful as I remember."

She blushed at the compliment.

--

"This place is excellent!" She said, popping another sushi into her mouth with her chopsticks.

"I knew you'd like it." He looked at her. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Serena… do you remember-"

"Remember what?" she said cutting him off, before he said anything that could make her feel awkward.

"Do you remember that night-"

"I remember lots of nights…" she said hurriedly.

"Ah Serena… you're still the same: saying anything when you don't feel comfortable."

She blushed. 'Wow… he really does know me.'

"Do you remember that night… in that house I rented?"

"Mm… hm…" she replied, slowly swallowing he sushi.

"Serena, I've never stopped thinking about that night. Not because of what happened at the time, but because of you. You were perfect. The way you looked at me with those serene eyes, how soft your skin felt, the way you said my name in that sweet voice of yours…"

Her heart was thumping hard against her chest as images of her past came to mind. Her thoughts were so vivid. Of course she remembered that night. It was the most magical night she had ever had. She remembered how romantic everything was. The candles, the rose petals… the bed… Seiya lifted a hand onto the table and slid it over Serena's. He softly caressed her silky smooth skin. She closed her eyes as she relished the sensations that made every fibre of her body shudder. She dropped her chopsticks onto her plate. Seiya slowly lifted himself off the table and prepared to taste the lips of the goddess in front of him. 'I've got her…' he thought.

"Da…rien…" she whispered.

"What's that Serena?" asked Seiya. 'She didn't say _his_ name…' he thought keeping his calm.

'Did I just say Darien?' she thought as her eyes shot open. "Um… I didn't say anything. I was just um moaning… 'cause it felt good. You know… I say weird things…" she said trying to sound convincing. "Shall we go?" she said blushing furiously, getting up quickly.

"Uh… yeah sure," he replied with a confused look on his face. 'Darien, huh?' He went to pay and joined Serena in the car. There was an awkward silence.

"Um… is there anywhere you'd like me to drop you off?" she asked.

"Back at the office is alright," he said in a cold manner. "Serena… if you don't want me around, you can tell me you know." 'Even when he's not around, he still finds a way to get on my nerves.'

"Seiya… it's not that, it's just-"

"It's just Darien."

"That's not what I was going to say-"

"But I'm sure you were thinking about it. Him."

"Will you stop it?! I wasn't thinking about Darien." 'At that specific moment…' she added silently. "I'm just in a difficult place right now. I mean you just come out, practically from the dead, and suddenly tell me that you still love me? I've told you before Seiya, this isn't easy for me, not after what you did. I can't just erase the past. I can't keep living like if nothing happened. Because it did! I need you to understand that."

"I do understand. I just don't understand why you keep pushing me away! I STILL LOVE YOU! Can't you see?" There was silence. "Listen Serena, that Darien guy is all wrong for you. WE were meant for one another. Don't you remember the kiss we shared in his office? That wasn't nothing Serena! I know you felt it too!" he looked at her sternly. "Drop me off here. I'll walk."

She pulled over. She was so confused. "Seiya I… The office was…"

He got out. "Save it Serena. But know this, one day you'll realize that I was the one for you and I'm not going to be there." He closed the door. She drove away, but after a couple of blocks she stopped and broke down into tears. She cried her heart out. Was she crying because she might have just lost Seiya? Did she love him? SHOULDN'T she love him? He seemed like the perfect choice. 'But the perfect choice isn't always the _best_ choice… What am I saying? I have absolutely no chance with Darien. We have nothing in common. I'm not his type. We're better off being friends. Besides, I can't compete with _Michelle_… Love sucks…' She wiped her tears on her sleeve and drove towards the apartment.

--

"Good afternoon Miss Lawrence," said Stewart, the valet. "Uh… you… you might need to get out of the car."

"Oh, right… Thanks." She droopily got out of her car. She was depressed. She was alone. 'Mina is so lucky. She has Andrew. Love always comes easy with her, even in high school. And what do I get? A broken heart…'

She walked into her building. She didn't hear Daniel say hello to her. She was busy thinking about her love life. 'Maybe I should call Seiya. But what would I say? 'You're wrong? Darien's the one for me?' Or maybe I should just try it out with Seiya. He's right… It worked before so why wouldn't it work now? Ugh…' She walked into the awaiting elevator and pressed the elevator button to her floor. James was looking at her questioningly until they got there. She wanted to go to bed but it was way too early to do so. 'Maybe a nap…' She walked to her door, rummaging in her purse for her key. As she looked up, her eyes fell on a single rose taped to her door with a small card. 'A rose?' She looked at it confused and flipped the card open.

"_Which is loveliest in a rose? Its coy beauty when it's budding, or its splendor when it blooms?_

_You are that rose Serena… My rose. Meet me tomorrow at the front desk. 10 am."_

The card wasn't signed. 'A secret admirer?' she asked herself. She looked at Darien's closed apartment door. 'It couldn't possibly be him. It must've been Seiya! But he doesn't know where I live… I wonder who gave this to me… It must be someone from the building! Daniel would know!' She quickly went into her apartment and dialled the front desk.

"Daniel speaking. 'Ow may I 'elp you?"

"Hi Daniel. It's Serena."

"Ah, Mizz Lawrence! What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you can help me with something… I received a letter with a rose at my door, but I don't know who would give me such a thing. He must've come in through the front door at some point. So you must've seen him."

"I am sorry, Mizz Lawrence. I did not see anybody with a rose."

"Nobody? Nobody at all?"

"No. I am very sorry."

"Alright, thanks Daniel."

"It iz always a pleasure. Good day."

She put her receiver down. Serena had no clue who this mystery man could be. 'Maybe it's some psycho who knows my name. Like that weird coffee guy that keeps talking to me... Ew! It couldn't be… Should I even meet this guy??' She picked her receiver up and called her best friend.

"Hello?"

"Mina it's me!"

"Oh hey Serena! How's everything going with Seiya? Or is it Darien now?"

"I've got something more important! When I got home, there was this rose and a note attached to my door." She read it to Mina. "But now I think it could be some freak. Should I still go?"

"I don't see why not. Here's the plan. At 10 tomorrow, call Daniel and ask him if your admirer is a good looking guy or a weird guy. Then you can decide to go or not."

"Hm… that's reasonable. But what if he looks nice and turns out to be a freak anyways?"

"Serena what's wrong with taking chances? Besides, this could solve all your problems. You go out with this guy and no more worrying about Seiya OR Darien."

Did she really want someone else though? "I didn't think about it that way… What do I have to lose right?"

"Exactly. Listen Serena, I gotta go meet Andrew soon. He's taking me out to dinner. Call me tomorrow after your date all right? Unless you end up you know…" She giggled.

"I'm not gonna end up in his bed on the first date! I'm not like you!" She laughed.

"I'm hurt!" she said still laughing.

"Alright go on and find your Prince Charming. I'll talk to you soon."

"Alright! Have fun tomorrow Serena!"

"I'll try." With that she hung up and walked into her living room where Blaze was sleeping. 'I wonder who this guy is… Maybe he _is_ the answer to all my problems…' Yet even as she thought this, she still yearned for the man next door…

--

**AN: **So… who is this mystery man? Could it be Darien? Maybe Seiya? Or some new guy… But doesn't Darien have something planned for the next day? Will he meet this admirer of Serena's?? What chaos could this bring?! I love chaos… Stay tune and find out!


	8. The big date

**Disclaimer: ** The same… -_-'

**Author's notes:** I'm so glad you liked my last chapter! Please please please send in more reviews! They really do help! And now for the moment everyone's been waiting for… Who's waiting for Serena? Enjoy! ^^

PS. There will be **mature** content later on. There. I've warned you!

**Chapter 8**

'Ok ok. Calm down Serena. Think of it as meeting a new friend. Right. Just a friend. There's nothing to be nervous about…' she told herself, trying to sound convincing. She awoke pretty early this morning just to be sure she had enough time to get ready for her big date. 'Big date? It's not a big date, I mean I shouldn't be expecting anything huge… What if he doesn't even show up? Nah… nobody would put that much effort into something and not show up…' she thought, getting more and more nervous by the second. She spent so much time on finding the right outfit. 'Ugh… maybe I shoulda worn the other dress… Ok. Just stop it. This dress is fine. But I don't wanna be fine! I wanna be gorgeous!' She looked at herself in her long mirror. Little did she know that if anyone could see her now, they'd think she was a star. She was wearing a simple revealing white dress that stopped at the knees with a black ¾ sleeve cashmere sweater and her black slightly-heeled flip-flops. She had accessories to match and a white headband in her long blond hair. She was gripping at her white clutch purse.

It was ten minutes to ten and she decided it was time to call Daniel. "Oui, good morning. Zis iz Daniel. 'Ow may I 'elp you?"

"Hi Daniel. It's Serena again."

"Ah, it iz always a pleasure to speak wiz you."

"Thanks. I was wondering if there is anybody waiting for me at the front desk."

"Um… nobody 'as come to ask for you. Are you expecting somebody?" he asked questioningly.

"Um… actually I am. He's um… well I'm not quite sure what he looks like… I'm supposed to meet him downstairs."

"I see. Well… a young man just walked in. He iz now sitting in an armchair."

"Is he hot?" she asked briskly.

"Um… If you are asking me if I would date 'im if I was a girl… Blond, brown eyes… yes, I suppose," he answered thinking it was a weird question.

Serena's mind screamed accordingly. 'Eeeeee! He's hot! Oh my god… Oh my god! Ok. Calm down.'

"Miz Lawrence? Are you still there?"

"Uh… yes! I'll… I'll be right down!" She hung up, went to her mirror and put one last coat of lip gloss before she walked out the door excitedly.

She was almost on the first floor. 'Ok… This is it Serena. No backing out now.' She was right on time.

**DING!**

At the sound of the elevator, the young man turned and looked at Serena. 'Wow, he IS hot…' she thought. She walked straight for him. Just as she was about to say hello a young woman came up beside him and kissed him on the cheek. "Sorry I'm late John. Shall we go?" 'Huh? Why is she talking to my secret admirer?'

"One second babe… um… Miss? Did you wanna ask me something?" he asked turning to Serena.

"Uh… yeah… do you have the time?" she said blushing red as a tomato.

"Yeah, it's 10:02." The young man gave her a weird look before the couple walked away hand in hand.

"Thanks," she muttered as she headed towards a chuckling Daniel. "Why are you laughing?! It wasn't funny! I'm so embarrassed! He must've thought I was a freak just heading towards him like that!"

"Haha. Nobody would tink zat, especially not now, dressed zis beautiful." He smiled, gesturing at her outfit.

"You're the only person who thinks that right now," she said, feeling a bit better, and started laughing herself. They chatted for a couple of minutes and Serena told him about the secret admirer.

"Ah… You must feel excited zen!"

"Well the thing is… I sorta like someone else and-"

"Ah! Mr. Shields! Glad you could join us!" he said smiling.

"What?" asked Serena, turning around. There he was, leaning against the front desk. Darien looked so handsome just that moment; he was staring straight into her eyes. He was wearing a leather jacket, a dark blue button-down shirt and some dark colored jeans. Serena blushed.

"So what are you doing up so early, Serena? I thought you'd still be sleeping since you were with that Seiya guy yesterday."

"What? Why?? I wasn't _doing it_ all night if that's what you mean!" she blurted out without thinking.

"Woah… no one said anything about sexual intercourse! I just thought you'd be tired from everything that happened yesterday, you know getting to the community center, running away from the news mob… I figured you'd still be in bed," he said smirking.

Serena blushed furiously. He was doing it on purpose, teasing her. She could see it in his eyes. Well she knew what to say. "I actually have a date with someone!" she said crossing her arms.

"Really… and where is this person?"

"Um… I'm not quite sure… But he should be here soon! He said 10 AM, he's probably caught in traffic or something."

"Right. If you don't mind, I'll wait with you. Michelle's supposed to join me here soon too. I've got a whole date planned out."

"Oh…" Serena said sadly. 'A date with Michelle… I knew he couldn't like me. I'm such a fool…'

Ten minutes passed. Then 15. Then 20. Neither of their dates showed up. Darien looked at his watch. "It's just like Michelle to stand me up like this. She's such a drama queen…" He dialed her number on his cell. "And her cell's off. Typical," said Darien frustrated.

"Well guess the whole rose thing was a joke…" she said turning to Daniel.

"It seems like it… But a beautiful girl like yourself shouldn't 'ave a 'ard time to find a new man," he said sympathetically.

"You'd be surprised…" she replied. "I'll just go upstairs and change." 'God… what a bad day… first Darien and Michelle… and now my date doesn't show up…'

"Serena wait!"

She turned around and saw Darien looking straight at her. "Since I had all these reservations and stuff planned out and you're dressed for the part… how 'bout I take you out? Since Michelle apparently doesn't wanna be here… and I don't feel like canceling everything… again."

"Um…" 'Wow… a pity date. Just dandy… But… it's better than sulking in front of the TV with ice cream…'

"I don't wanna force you…" he said.

"Oh, no no. I'll go with you. It's not like I have anything better to do."

"Alright, great!" exclaimed Darien.

"Shall I get your car Mr. Shields?" asked Daniel.

"Uh, no we'll… walk," he answered, smiling sideways at Serena.

"Well, well, well… Darien Shields actually walking. Did you forget to put gas in your tank or something?" asked Serena mockingly.

"Nope… I just need a break from the fast life." And with that, he walked towards the back exit.

"Um… Darien? The exit's this way," said Serena pointing her finger to the visible street buzzing with people.

"I know. Unless you wanna be on tomorrow's front page, I suggest you come with me." With that, he disappeared behind a grey door.

"Wait!" screamed Serena running towards the closed door. She quickly ran, thinking that Darien had already left the building. She opened the door and landed on something… or someone. "Darien?! What the hell are you doing?! Aren't we-"

"Shhhh. Look," he whispered.

Serena moved a bit to Darien's side to peek. She crouched slightly as she saw a huge crowd of people with cameras of all sorts, waiting for Darien to come out at the front door. "Woah. We shoulda taken the car…" she said softly. She looked up to see if Darien had heard her. Little did she know she was right under Darien's face. He was looking pensively at the awaiting paparazzi and didn't notice Serena staring at him. 'Oh Darien…' She turned to get a better look at his features, but since she was crouched in a weird position, all it did was make her situation worse. She tried getting a grip on something solid, but all she could reach was Darien. "Ah!" she yelled as she fell to the ground, hitting a garbage can and dragging a surprised Darien with her. They were face to face; Serena gripping at his leather jacket. Darien's eyes roamed over her delicate face and then rested on her lips. She was so beautiful. "Serena… I-"

"THERE HE IS!!!" They heard someone scream and looked towards the direction it came from.

"Oh no," said Darien, knowing that the paparazzi would soon be assaulting them. "We gotta move! Hurry Serena!"

At that moment, the whole horde of people turned around and headed towards them. "Not again…" said Serena as she got up. Darien quickly grabbed her hand and started running in the opposite direction. Serena held it firmly as they ran for their lives. "I'm not wearing the right shoes for this!" she screamed at him.

Darien turned around to look at the blond beauty. 'Man she really is beautiful…' he thought.

'Why is he looking at me like that?' Serena thought and blushed slightly.

They were running in an alley that had no end. Darien had to find somewhere to hide. Anywhere. He looked frantically around for any sign of salvation. 'A garbage can? No. That box? No, too small. Shit. Where to hide?' He kept running until he finally saw a small opening between two buildings. It was large enough for two people sideways, but small and dark enough to be able to make the mob think that nobody would ever think of going in there. 'It'll have to do,' he thought as he made a quick turn. "Serena, hurry get in there!" he shouted.

"In there?! Are you kidding? It's too small! We can't possibly both fit in there!"

"Serena! We don't have time for this!" he said as she pushed her into the awaiting hole. He then got in as well, right beside her, in the darkness. The footsteps came closer and closer and finally stopped right in front of where they were. They heard them mumble something about going in another direction and then, the footsteps went away. They were finally gone.

Serena and Darien's shoulders were touching. Serena was breathing hard from all the running. She felt slightly dizzy with exhaustion and rested her head on Darien's arm unknowingly. Darien felt this soft movement and reveled in it for a few seconds, until she lifted her head. She gazed into his deep dark blue eyes and he looked deep into hers. Their breaths were mixed together. Their heads were spinning. The world didn't exist; only them. Their hearts were pounding. "Darien…? We have to get out of here… I can't breathe…" she said softly, as she tried to slip past him towards the alley, but there was clearly no space. Darien slowly lifted his arm as if to tell her to stop. "Darien…?"

Darien looked at her with intense passion, a passion he held in for too long. There were so many things he wanted to tell her… so many things he wanted to do to her… 'No you can't Darien. You mustn't…' he told himself. "Uh… careful, you might step on that," he looked at the floor and there, amongst the rubbish, was a dead rat.

"Huh? Oh EWWWWW!" she howled and quickly pushed him out of the gap.

"You've got some pair of lungs!" he said, covering his ears. "You might bring the tabloids back!" he said smiling.

She was still flustered about what had happened a few seconds ago. 'I didn't imagine those eyes did I?' "Ha ha ha, Darien," she replied, looking at him sternly. She cleaned herself off. Her dress was slightly dirty, but other than that she looked fine. She looked at Darien who was also cleaning the dirt off his pants. "How can you live with all paparazzi around? Doesn't it bother you?"

"Of course it does. But it only happens when I do something big. It's still hard to walk in the streets of New York incognito though."

"But why don't you get body guards or something? It'd be easier."

"Nah… That'd just attract more attention to me. That's why I usually use the car."

"And we didn't use it today because…?" Serena asked. She didn't really appreciate running for her life. 'I have to admit though… it was kinda fun.'

"I told you… I just wanna be normal Darien for once. A Darien that doesn't have an expensive car or papers to sign, deals to make, a company to run… I barely have time to be me. There's just too much pressure."

Serena looked at him with sympathetic eyes. She never realized how hard it must be to have so many people counting on you to make everything work. She realized that Darien just wanted to be like everyone else. Not _Mr._ Darien Shields, just Darien.

"Shall we?" he asked, motioning to the sidewalk. She nodded and he smiled with that winning smile of his. They both got to the sidewalk and Darien put on his sunglasses.

"Trying to hide from the paparazzi?" she asked with a giggle.

"Yes and… I think I look cool in these," he added smugly. Serena laughed at the way he said it. 'He does look good… then again… he always looks good.'

"So where does this date start? I mean Michelle's date…"

Darien smiled. "Well… I was going to take her to this bakery/coffee shop for brunch. She likes to have brunch on Saturdays."

"Well that sounds good. Is it far?"

"Nope. It should be right around… this corner," he said, turning the block.

Serena quickly followed. "This… this is Lita's shop."

"Who?" he asked.

"Um… nobody…" she said nervously. 'He probably doesn't remember the time Lita spilled coffee all over him… I hope she isn't working today…' she thought. "Ok. Let's go in."

Darien held the door open for her as she quickly walked in and ran to take a booth all the way in the back corner.

"You don't wanna sit more over there?" asked Darien quizzically as he noticed that they were right beside the garbage bins.

"Um… no… I… I always sit in this booth!"

"Beside the garbage cans?"

"Um… those aren't usually there… hehe…" 'God I hope Lita isn't here…'

"Hey guys, what can I do for you today?" 'Oh no,' thought Serena. 'She's here.'

Darien took his sunglasses off and Serena sunk further down into her seat. Lita didn't notice her while she put down their glasses of water.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. High and Mighty…" started Lita, frowning. "I've got something for you." She took something out of her pocket. Serena noticed that it was that 100$ bill. 'Oh crap…' she thought. Lita folded it out in the air and threw it on Darien's face. "You can take your stupid bill back, you arrogant jerk. You think money can buy happiness? Well I got news for you. It doesn't. That day was the most humiliating day of my life! I almost lost my job because of you! And thank god Mr. Buckman isn't here today to hear me say this! But 100$ ain't gonna cut it buddy, maybe if it was more maybe I woulda let it go… But now… now I want an apology! You have no idea what it felt like," she finished crossing her arms with rage.

Darien sat there remembering that fateful day. He really was an asshole then. 'What was wrong with me?' "I'm so sorry Miss um…" he looked at the nametag. "Lita. I don't know why I did the things I did. Nothing I say can undo what I did but I'm truly sorry. I'll talk to your boss." Lita looked at him dumbfounded. She didn't actually expect him to apologize; she thought for sure he was gonna tell her off and make sure Mr. Buckman would hear about it. "How much do you want? For everything I did," he asked her.

"W-what?" she asked.

"How much do you want for all the damage I caused? 1000? 10000?" he said, taking out his check book.

"Um… I don't want your money Mr. Shields. I just wanted an apology," she said blushing.

"Alright then, if you're sure about it. At least take the bill back." He handed her the bill smiling. "So… is there anything you want Serena, while Lita's here?"

"Serena?" Lita looked at the person across from Darien.

"Uh… yeah… Hi Lita!"

"You two know each other." Darien said categorically. "That's why you wanted to sit here."

"Uh yeah… I shoulda mentioned it before it was just… well… I didn't know we were coming here… I woulda given you a warning…" she said mumbling to Darien. Darien looked amused.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Serena shouted before taking a sip of the water Lita had brought.

Lita looked back and forth at the 'Couple?' she thought. "Serena…" she started. "Are you two dating?" she asked coyly.

Serena quickly spat out her water which sprayed all over the table. "D-dating? We're not… dating," she said blushing furiously, looking out the window.

Darien looked at Serena and smiled, cleaning off the table. "No, we're not dating. I'm just taking one of my employees out for coffee," he said. Serena looked sideways at Darien. 'Just an employee huh…'

"Oh… right." Lita wasn't convinced, at least not on Serena's side. 'Serena definitely has a thing for Darien. Darien, well… it's kinda hard to tell for sure but there's obviously something between those two…' "So can I get you guys anything?"

"Uh yeah… I'll take a chocolate croissant and a hot chocolate."

"Sure, Serena. And for you Mr. Shields?"

"A coffee and a plain croissant. Thanks."

"Alright great! I'll be right back." With that, Lita walked away.

"I'm glad to know we both like croissants." said Darien.

"Yup," she replied looking away.

Darien noticed a change in her voice. It was distant. 'Maybe she's thinking about Seiya…' "Is there something wrong Serena? Anything you wanna talk about?"

"Hm? No… I was just thinking about how nice it is outside," she said with a smile, trying to sound convincing, when in reality she was still hurt from Darien's previous comment about her, although she didn't really know why.

"Alright here ya go guys." said Lita coming back. "Will that be all?"

"Yup thanks, Lita," said Serena with melancholy.

"Uh… Serena? Would you mind coming with me to the bathroom? I sorta have a girl problem to talk to you about."

"Huh? Um… yeah. If you don't mind, Darien?"

"Oh no go ahead. Girl things are way too complicated to handle alone."

"Tell me about it," replied Serena. She followed Lita to the bathroom.

"What's wrong Serena?"

"Huh? I thought we came here to talk about you?"

"Serena that was just code. Do you like Darien?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Oh yeah."

"But it isn't to Darien…" she said sadly.

"Why don't you tell him?"

"He has a girlfriend. That's why he took me out today. He had all these reservations and stuff planned out for her but she couldn't make it. So, he decided to take me instead, seeing as I didn't have anything else to do and my date had blown me off."

"Oh… But Serena… I'm pretty sure he has a thing for you too," she said with a small smile.

"Yeah right. That's just his charms working. I'm sure he could seem to like any girl in that room. Besides, I just have a crush on Darien that's all. I… like someone else…" she said trying to persuade herself.

"Really… Then why are you so bummed out?"

"Who knows…"

Lita looked at her friend sympathetically. "Serena cheer up! If it's just a crush, it's just a crush! But you're on a date with DARIEN SHIELDS! Not every girl gets to do that! So enjoy it! It's a one in a lifetime oppurtinity!" Lita said happily.

Serena looked up at her, realizing that it was stupid to mope around for Darien Shields. "You're right Lita. This is a one time thing. Who cares what happens afterwards! I'm on a date with Darien Shields!" she exclaimed.

"You go get him girl!" Lita said, as Serena walked out, back to her table.

--

"You guys were talking about me, weren't you?" Darien asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Huh? What makes you think we were talking about you?" Serena asked, blushing slightly.

"Oh, I'm just used to it. I know your "code". Girls always talk about me. 'Darien Shields is so hot!' 'Darien Shields has the greatest eyes' 'Darien Shields must be great in bed!' I've heard it all."

"Have you heard 'Darien Shields must be so egocentric'?" she asked teasingly.

"I knew you were talking about me in there…" Darien smiled mockingly.

"Ugh… just eat your croissant." Serena smiled back.

After chitchatting quite a bit, Serena finally leaned back in her bunk. She had fun talking about anything and everything to Darien. He was unbelievably comfortable to talk to. There was something in his eyes… something she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Well, that was good."

"Indeed. Shall we go to part deux of our date?" Darien asked, it was already 1 pm.

"Not before we pay," Serena said, calling Lita for the bill. She came running with it. "Sorry about that. Pesky customer…" She looked at Darien. "No offense."

"None taken," he replied.

"So are you paying separately?"

"Yes."

"No."

They both answered at the same time. "I'll pay for both our bills," replied Darien, ignoring Serena's defiant look.

"No that's alright, Darien. I'm a big girl now. I can pay for it," she said handing Lita a 20$ bill.

"No, I'm a gentleman and gentlemen always pay," he said handing Lita a 50$ bill and taking Serena's 20.

"You coulda fooled me Darien," Serena replied.

"Alright, here's your change Mr. Shields. You guys have fun now," Lita said, returning to her pesky customer. Darien left his change on the table.

They both got up and out the shop. Darien handed Serena her bill back. "A girl should never have to pay on a date."

"I'll keep that in mind for my future boyfriends," she said, taking the bill. "So what's next? A romantic stroll in the park?" she asked Darien mockingly. She figured Michelle would be the type of girl who'd want the cheesiest date in the world. She looked liked the high maintenance type.

"Not exactly." Darien smiled secretively. He hailed a cab.

"We didn't take your car so we could take a cab," said Serena monotonously.

"No one'll expect me to be in a cab, now would they," he said, putting his sunglasses on. They got into the cab. "Coney Island please," he told the driver.

"Sure," the Indian man replied and took off. He looked in his rear-view mirror with squinted eyes. "I'm sure you get this a lot. But you look very much like Darien Shields."

"Really. That's the first time I hear that actually." He looked at Serena who was stopping herself from laughing. "What do you think of him?"

"He seems like an arrogant asshole," the man answered. Serena laughed harder. Darien frowned at the comment. "But I'm sure he's a gentle and honest man. He's just grown up in a world of business. He's probably just frustrated with everything. It definitely shows!" Darien was surprised at how much the Indian man knew. "He's not very good looking though," the man quickly added. Serena laughed louder. Darien humphed. "So you think he's good-looking Miss?" the driver asked Serena.

"Uh… um… well… he does have the tall, dark, handsome thing going on…" she said blushing. 'Oh god… I can't believe I just said that in front of Darien…'

"Tall, dark and handsome huh, Serena?" asked Darien in a teasing tone.

"Ah… wouldn't you prefer a man like me? Short, bearded and mediocre?" the man asked jokingly. Serena laughed.

"Watch it buddy," Darien added sarcastically. The driver chuckled. They chatted for quite some time, until they finally arrived at Coney Island. "Here ya go, sir," said Darien handing him a 100$ bill. "Keep the change. For the pleasant ride."

The driver looked at him in surprise. Serena got out of the car. "I cannot accept this!"

"Please do. You deserve it," said Darien with a smile.

The man took it reluctantly. Darien was about to close the door. "Thank you! Mr. Shields…" The driver winked.

"He knew all along…" Darien said smiling to himself while the driver went away. Darien turned around and saw Serena standing there in front of him, ten feet away. She was looking at him too. Her hair was glistening in the wind and her eyes were shining as bright as the sun. 'Gorgeous…' he thought.

"What?" Serena asked suddenly.

"Nothing. C'mon, this way." Serena noticed that they were heading towards the Astroland amusement park. 'Well… I definitely didn't think Michelle would go to a kiddie park,' she thought.

"Well… here we are." Darien said. "You excited?"

"I haven't been to an amusement park in a really long time…" Serena said, thinking about how long it's been since she last went.

"Good. We'll have fun then!" exclaimed Darien as he paid the entrance fee for both of them. He grabbed the wristbands and put one on Serena and on himself. They walked in and there was the normal hustle and bustle of the crowd. People were walking everywhere. Games were being played and people on "The Cyclone" could be heard screaming. Serena shuddered. She never really liked roller coasters.

"Are you scared Serena?" asked Darien. He noticed she was looking at the roller coaster.

"Um… not really…" she replied.

"Aw… c'mon! Everyone loves roller coasters!"

"Sure…" 'Oh my god…' Serena thought nervously. "How 'bout we get some of that," she said pointing at the pink cotton candy a little girl was holding.

"Cotton candy? Sure." They walked to the nearest stand, where Darien got her the biggest cotton candy ever.

"Woah! I'm not gonna be able to eat all of it!" she said wide eyed.

"You didn't tell me which size you wanted…" Darien said smiling mischievously.

"Oh please! You did this on purpose! Look! Everyone's staring at me! They probably think I'm a porker!"

Darien laughed. "They're just jealous…"

"Right, they're jealous of the girl pigging out on cotton candy the size of a blimp!" Serena said taking a piece of the cotton candy and putting it into her mouth. "Mmmm. Don't just stand there! Help me with this thing!" she said with a mouthful.

Darien chuckled and took a piece of the pink fluff.

Somewhere not far from them in the park…

"Hey Michelle! Isn't that Darien?" said a girl.

"Huh? What? Where?" Michelle turned around and saw her boyfriend with another girl. She had evidently forgotten all about her outing with Darien today. 'Oh my god. It's that little twit from his building. Well… he knew the deal. He's just gonna have to pay the consequences… How dare he cheat on me. Well he's gonna get exactly what he deserves… and so will she…' she smiled deviously at her thoughts.

"Ugh… I can't eat anymore! I'm gonna burst!" Serena said, handing the cotton candy to Darien.

"I got it for you and you're gonna finish it."

"Aw, Darien! I can't! This thing is way too huge! I can't take it anymore!" she wailed.

"Calm down Serena! You're acting like a baby." Darien chuckled. "Just throw it away…"

"But that's waste! Do you know how much waste there is in the world? Do-"

"Ok, I get it…" he looked around and saw a little girl crying. Her ice cream had fallen on the ground. 'Perfect timing…' "Hey little girl, why are you crying?" he asked bending down to his knees.

"My *sob* ice cream *sob* fell… *sniff*" she answered. Her mom was trying to console her the best she could.

"Well… you're in luck 'cause my friend here has some cotton candy and she'd gladly give you some." Darien said happily.

"Weally?" the little girl looked up and saw the pink cotton candy and jumped up and down. Serena handed her the fluff and the mom seemed relieved. "Thanks, Mister!" the little girl exclaimed and then turned to walk with her mom.

"Wow Darien. You _do_ have a heart!" Serena said, breaking the silence.

"Can't Darien Shields be nice once in a while?"

"I guess so… So, where are we going?"

"Oh… to a little ride called Dante's inferno," he said nonchalantly, but he knew that she wouldn't take it that way.

"The horror ride?" Serena asked in a small voice.

Darien laughed. "Sometimes I wonder if you're not actually 5."

"Fine, we'll go do Dante's Inferno. But I'm not happy about it," she said pouting.

"That's the spirit!" They walked quickly to the short waiting line. Serena was nervous.

"Don't be scared Serena. They're fake," Darien said teasingly. She glared. "I'll hold your hand if you want…" Darien said half teasing, half actually hoping to.

"Shut up Darien." Serena was so nervous, she was starting to get pissed. She didn't want anyone to bother her, much less talk to her. She hated waiting to go into rides she didn't want to go on.

It was their turn and they both got into their bumper car look-alike. "Oh my god…" Serena whispered. She slid into her seat along with Darien, waiting for the bars to go down. She double checked to make sure that they weren't gonna come off.

"Stop worrying Serena. This isn't a roller coaster. The bar isn't gonna break. There were only 3 people who died here…" Darien said jokingly. She glared at him; she didn't take it as lightly.

They waited a couple of minutes before the ride started. 'Just close your eyes Serena… just closed your eyes…' she thought to herself. But as they were moving towards the darkness, Serena couldn't help but feel curious. She sort of wanted to know what was going to happen on this thing as much as she didn't want to find out. She looked up and saw a woman in what seemed excruciating agony. She winced as she heard her cries of pain. The cars moved on and Serena saw something resembling a bat. 'A bat… like a bat's gonna scare me,' she thought proudly. As she neared the being, she saw that it was too huge to be a bat. Suddenly, it unfolded and revealed a deathly-looking vampire. Serena screamed and ducked in fear, quickly grabbing Darien's hand. Darien turned towards Serena. He was having fun seeing her in this state. He admitted it was kind of cruel to laugh at someone this scared. But he loved watching Serena's expression change as quickly as the speed of light.

She was now grabbing his hand for dear life. Darien softly caressed the skin on the back of her hand reassuring her. It seemed to work, since she sort of loosened her grip, but she never completely let go during the whole ride.

"I'm glad that's over!" Serena said as she came out of the building containing the horror ride.

"Aw, it was fun hearing you scream!" Darien laughed.

"Shut up Darien!" she said slapping him gently on the arm. "I'm gonna get nightmares because of you!"

"Ha! We still haven't done the cyclone you know."

"Do we have to?" she asked, begging not to.

"Serena. You can't not do the cyclone," he replied smugly. He grabbed her hand and dragged her alongside him, seeing as she was staying put. "C'mon… don't be such a baby…"

"Only four more people to go and we're in…" she said nervously.

"Cheer up! You're not gonna be the only one screaming on this one!" he said.

"Will you stop it already?" Serena said, staring dangerously at him.

"I'm sorry I just can't help it! You're so easy to annoy! You're just adorable when you're nervous…"

"Huh…?" She blushed at his comment. 'Why does he always have to say things like that to lead me on? Well, I'm not gonna fall for it… I'm just a replacement for Michelle.' They finally got through and took the front seats. "Did we really have to be at the front again?" Serena asked, looking at the back for other seats.

"Yes! Now hurry up or they'll leave without you!"

"Really??" she asked excitedly. She didn't want to go on the ride.

"No… not really," he answered, gesturing her to get in.

"Ugh, fine." She got in beside Darien and quickly buckled herself in. She observed his strong features. His perfectly chiseled chin, his impeccable tan, those lips that she desperately wanted to… "Eep!" she uttered as the ride started moving. Darien turned and he had a huge smile on his face, just like a 10 year old would. She took a mental picture of this moment and returned to being nervous. They were slowly nearing the initial drop and Serena was shaking in her seat. They were almost there and Darien raised his hands up high. 'Oh God…' thought Serena with a gulp. 'Here it goes…' Only Serena's scream could be heard.

"So did you enjoy it Serena?" asked a happy Darien.

"I think… I actually did!" she exclaimed.

"See! It wasn't that bad."

"Yea… but I wouldn't wanna do it three times in a row."

"I would," Darien said, grinning.

"Of course you would. I'm still new to this whole liking a roller coaster thing…" she said with a smile.

"How 'bout ferris wheels?" Darien asked, thinking that she would afraid of something else on this ride.

"Huh? No! Those are the only things I like at amusement parks! C'mon!" she said running towards the giant wheel. (AN: I think the wheel is in a different part of Coney Island… but we'll say it's in the same part teehee ^^)

"I just love this feeling…" she said, as she closed her eyes. The wind was blowing in her hair and she felt like she didn't have a care in the world. This moment was pure bliss to her.

"Beautiful…" Darien whispered. Serena opened her eyes. 'What did he say? Did he just call me beautiful?' she asked herself. "The sunset is beautiful." Darien said a bit louder, clearing his throat, trying to hide his mistake. It seemed to work.

"Oh… oh right," she said sadly as she turned to look at the bright colors in the sky. Little did she know that Darien was in fact talking about her. The wheel suddenly stopped. There was silence between them. Serena slowly turned. Darien was looking straight at her.

'There's something about the way he's looking at me. His eyes are so… mesmerizing… Every time I look into them, I get so lost. It's almost like I can see into his soul. If only I could get closer…'

'God Serena… Why do I torture myself? I don't care about Michelle. I only want you… If I could only… kiss you… right now… and forget about everything else…'

They were slowly nearing each other. Once again, nothing mattered. They were staring deeply into each others eyes. This was it. There was no turning back.

**Vrooom!**

They were jerked slightly forward. Serena lost her balanced and was thrown back into her initial position, so was Darien. The ride had started moving again. 'Fuck…' Darien thought. 'Damn…' she thought. 'I guess it was too good to be true…'

They had gotten off the ferris wheel and decided to do other rides, including the tea cups and bumper cars. Darien and Serena also had competitions in the little game stands. Darien was throwing basketballs. Serena had already lost on her side.

**DING! DING! DING!**

"And we have a winner!" said the teller. "Well, since you got all 3 in you get to pick a big prize!"

"Alright!" Darien exclaimed. "Hmmm… I'll take that one," he said as he pointed to the gigantic puppy.

"There ya go."

"Thanks," he replied before walking away with his prize.

"Wow Darien! I didn't know you were good at basketball!" Serena smiled.

"I used to be team captain in high school."

"Well, well, well… the school jock I presume?"

"You could sorta say that…" he said awkwardly.

"I think you'll be glad to know that you and Seiya had something in common."

"Yeah… and that better be the only thing I have in common with him."

Serena looked quizzically at him. "What exactly do you have against Seiya? Every time I'm around you guys, I feel like someone on a war field."

"To be honest Serena…" Darien paused. 'I can't tell her the truth, how I feel…' "I don't really know… There's just something about him that just makes me tick. Like he's hiding something…"

"That's 'cause you don't know him. He's actually a pretty cool guy."

"Right. You have to say that 'cause you're his friend." 'Or ex-girlfriend…' he thought. "How 'bout we drop the subject?"

"Fine…"

"Here. Take my dog," he quickly added to get rid of the weird atmosphere.

"Really?!? But you won it, fair and square!"

"Think of it as a thank you gift… for spending this day with me," he said handing the puppy to her.

She took the huge stuffed animal with both her hands. "Thank you. I'll name him Dari."

"Dari?"

"Yeah. I can't name him Darien… 'cause that's your name. So Dari'll do," she answered.

Darien smiled. "I'm flattered that you'd name him after me. What do you say to dinner?"

"If that's what you had planned for Michelle…"

"Right. Michelle…" In his mind, she was nonexistent. "We're gonna have to take a cab again." With that, they both headed out of the park, content.

Serena had passed out during the cab drive. She woke up just in time to see Darien paying the driver. She got out, feeling slightly numb. "Where are we?" she muttered to Darien.

"At the docks."

"What are we doing at the docks?" she asked. "You're not gonna kill me and throw me in the water are you??" she asked frantically.

"No, no! Why would I do that? I woulda killed you in your sleep…" he said.

Serena slowly backed away.

"Oh c'mon Serena! I was just joking!" he said smiling. "C'mon, the boat's waiting."

"Boat?" she said quietly and quickly followed.

"Yes, hurry up." He was heading towards the only boat that had lights. It looked sort of like a mini cruise ship: it didn't have sails or anything. There were soft lights adorning the edges. As they neared the sea craft, Serena noticed that there was a dainty little table waiting in the back, with candles as a centerpiece.

"Climb up here. Careful not to slip," Darien said, handing out a hand to help her. He was already on board.

"Wow…" she said softly.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Peter!" Darien shouted.

"Peter?"

"Yeah, since I'm obviously gonna be eating dinner with you, I had to get a temporary captain."

"Right." Serena was still amazed. She was on an expensive boat with Darien Shields.

Just then, a man in a white suit came out from the top. "Mr. Shields! Right on time! Sorry about that. Me wife was on the phone…" he grumbled on the last bit. "I see Michelle couldn't make it… again. This fine lady will do just the trick won't she?" He winked at Serena. "Peter Berkins, your trusted captain for tonight." He handed down his hand to Serena, he had a very heavy English accent.

"Serena Lawrence, Michelle's replacement," she said with a smile, taking his hand.

"A sense of humor! Glad to hear it! The other one doesn't have one." He looked at Darien who looked at him with pressing eyes. "Right then! On with the show! Enjoy your dinner! It's still warm!" He turned around and started the boat. Serena weaved a little to get her balance back on track.

"After you M'Lady." Darien motioned to the table. As she arrived, Darien helped her to her seat, just like in fancy restaurants. He then took off the tray covers that were covering their dinners. It looked delicious. She grabbed her knife and fork and started cutting into the chicken breast. "Mmmm… this is really good…" she said, closing her eyes to savor the tender piece of meat. Darien caught her in this sensual moment and almost choked on his asparagus. She quickly opened her eyes and handed him a glass of water to ease the vegetable down. "You alright, Darien?" she asked worried.

*Cough cough* "Hum… yeah… I just ate too fast that's all," he lied. 'Get a hold of yourself Darien! You can't die now!' he thought.

The boat started moving and Serena barely noticed. They kept talking and talking. It was a wonder that they didn't run out of things to talk about. Serena talked about Amy and Mina and Darien listened patiently, completely interested and absorbed with what she had to say. It was a relief to finally hear something other than numbers and phones ringing to no end.

"Liberty Island!" they both heard Peter scream.

"Liberty Island?" Serena asked. "How can it possibly be open? It's way past closing time…" she asked raising an eyebrow at Darien.

"Don't worry, Serena. They're open," he said with a smile. Serena still had that confused looked upon her face. The boat came to a stop and they both got out. Serena looked around. She was right, everything was closed. But she couldn't help but notice that the lights leading to the statue of Liberty were still on. 'Weird…'

"This is our last stop for the day," said Darien softly. "Have you ever seen the view from the top?" he asked her, leading the way.

"Of course! Everyone's seen it already!" Serena said shocked that he would think that a proud New Yorker like herself had never seen the view from the top.

"Oh… I bet you've never seen it like you will tonight…" he said slyly.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You'll see." They arrived at the elevators, which brought them as far as it would go. Serena was still surprised that everything had been left on. If she knew that this place was open until late at night, she would have come here more often. "I wonder where everyone is… It's so weird that no one's working…"

"Serena… no one's here but us," he said, trying to convince her that nothing was wrong. He lead her through a door marked "Employees only" and up some stairs.

"What do you mean there's nobody?! There's gotta be someone around here somewhere… like a janitor or something! I mean they wouldn't let just anybody walk in here!" she said, still baffled.

"Well, I'm not just anybody…" he said, as he opened the door. Serena walked out, her mouth gaping open. She had already seen the vu of the city, but seeing it just a bit higher up from the torch was breathtaking. She never thought in her lifetime that she would be able to do it from where she was now. "I thought the torch wasn't allowed for visitors anymore!" she said taking in the feeling of the wind blowing in her hair. 'Wow…'

"It isn't, but with a little persuasion…" he trailed off.

"You did all of this? You PAID for all of this?!" Serena said incredulous. "Wow! This must have cost a fortune! Michelle is one lucky girl…" She said the last part softly, leaning on the railing. 'I can't believe Michelle would ditch Darien. He did all this… for her…' she thought with a bit of sadness. She was still glad she hadn't missed the opportunity to spend it with Darien.

Darien looked at her peaceful face. Her hair was blowing in the strong wind, but it didn't seem to bother her. 'If it were Michelle, she would've probably complained about the wind ruining her haircut… Serena's so different… so special…' She was far more beautiful than the view. "I'm glad you like it," he replied, joining her on the railing. There was a short pause while they both took in the city. "Serena… if I ask you something, will you promise to tell me the truth?" he asked with soft eyes.

Her eyes bolted open. She quickly stood up. He caught her off guard; his tone was different, almost pleading, no, hopeful. "What? Uh yeah, Darien… sure. Shoot." She smiled, beaming at him.

Darien took a deep breath. "Do you… like me?"

'Oh god… What am I going to say? I can't tell him I LIKE him. He'll think I'm some silly school girl trying to steal him away from his girlfriend! ' Serena blushed furiously. "Um… yea… D-Darien. Of course I like you… you know… as a… as a friend." 'Ugh… that didn't come out right,' she thought looking away.

"No, Serena… I don't mean as a friend. I mean as something more…" he was still looking at her with intensity in his eyes.

"I-I'm not quite sure what you mean Darien…" she said trying to avoid him, looking around for a distraction.

"You promised to tell me the truth…" he said turning fully to face her. "Listen, Serena. I'm not blind you know. I know when a girl likes me." His tone became harder.

'Oh shit. He knows I like him and he's annoyed. He doesn't give a shit about me. How could I have been so stupid?! He probably knew all along, all this time! He's just been waiting for the perfect moment to let me down. I can't believe this! After the day we've spent together! It was all too good to be true… Well I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of letting me down easy.' She was bright red with anger, but she decided to talk things out calmly. "Ok. So what? I like you. What are you going to do about it? I mean I'm not the only one who dreams about you! And I'm sorry I-"

"Serena, calm down," he said cutting her off. She clearly had the wrong idea. "You didn't let me finish. I know when a girl likes me." He stared down into her eyes. She was silent. "I also know when a girl is completely head over heels for me…" He was slowly approaching her confused self. He gave her a small sideways smile, his winning Darien Shields smile. "But most of all… I know when I'M completely head over heels for someone too…" he stared deeply into her eyes.

"What?" Serena said in a shocked whisper. "You're not serious…" It took a second for her to let the fact that he was telling her that he liked her sink in. 'Am I dreaming?' "But what about Michelle? She's-"

"She's not important right now," he finished, while she opened her mouth in more confusion. "Don't you see Serena? All this wasn't for Michelle! It was for you! The letter, the rose… everything! I just needed to see if I wasn't crazy. If all these feelings weren't just part of a silly little infatuation! If you felt the same for me…" He paused looking at her bewildered expression. "Serena… every time I'm around you, I feel… different, a good kind of different. Like my heart suddenly starts beating again. You bring the life back into me, Serena! I think… I've fallen for you…" he ended, still looking into those beautiful blue eyes. He was close enough to touch her. He slowly lifted his hand to her cheekbone. He stroked it gently. "Serena? Please say something…"

She stared at him wide eyed. 'Oh. My. God. He likes me? I think I'm gonna faint… But he KNEW! All this time, he knew!! He knew I had feelings for him! All this time, I was torturing myself! Deluding myself that I was just crazy, that he was just toying with me… The hurt I felt every time…' Serena snapped out of her thoughts. "All of this was for me?! Do you have any idea what kind of hell I've been living since I met you Darien?! Ever since that night at the club… I can't get you out of my mind! I've been torturing myself to no end! Thinking of ways to get all these feelings to leave, trying to convince myself that what I feel isn't real-"

"So, you do have feelings for me?" Darien asked approaching his head.

Serena stopped to look at him. He was so gorgeous under the torch light. She still couldn't wrap around the fact that he liked her. His eyes were soft, alluring, telling her the truth. "Yes…" she said softly.

"Would you say… that you've fallen for me?" he said in a husky voice, leaning closer.

Serena took a small breath and whispered "Yes…"

"That's all I needed to hear…" he replied, before closing the gap between them with his lips. Her lips were so soft, so delicate. The kiss became more passionate as he held her face softly, yet firmly, while his other hand trailed its way to the small of her back. It sent shivers down Serena's spine. She loosened up from the shock of what was happening and wrapped her arms behind his neck, wringing the fingers of one hand into his jet black hair, allowing him to explore her mouth. They were both breathing hard; it seemed too short when the kiss finally ended. Darien's eyes were still burning with desire and Serena blushed from the ferocity of the kiss. They were still in each others arms as Darien spoke. "How 'bout we go home?" Serena simply nodded.

The ride home seemed to take forever. They couldn't keep their hands and mouths off each other, much to Peter's displeasure, and they were holding hands during the whole cab ride, smiling at each other, desperate to be in each others arms again. When they arrived only a couple of photographers remained, but Darien didn't care. All he wanted was Serena.

They ran through the lobby, trying to avoid the flashes of the cameras, barely waving goodnight to Daniel. Lucky for them, the elevator was unoccupied and waiting for the next people to come in. James must've gone home. Darien quickly jabbed the Pent House button and the doors closed. Serena was panting, out of breath, which only seemed to tempt Darien even more. With one step, his mouth claimed hers. This kiss was different than the first; it was more urgent, more passionate. It was like a fever; it was dangerously hot and it was difficult to come out of. "Mmm… Darien… we've gotta… mmm… stop…" she said between breaths.

"Do you really want me to stop?" he asked, grinning against her neck. He knew perfectly well that she didn't want to. His hand trailed down to her waist and even further down, to the seam of her dress. He felt the skin of her thigh and grabbed her behind the knee to hook her leg over his side.

She gasped. "Not really…" she answered, while he kissed her behind the ear.

"Then there's no problem is there…" he said, looking at her quickly before kissing her again.

By the time the elevator arrived on their floor, Serena had hooked both her legs around him. He carried her to her door while Serena fumbled with her card key to get the door open. Their lips never separated and their passion didn't die down. Darien walked in with her in his arms and gently pushed her against the wall, closing the door with his foot. He quickly took his shoes off, her flip flops had already fallen to the floor. He was kissing her with such a passion; it was like all the feelings that were pent up had all rushed out at once. He didn't want to do it like this though, quick and easy. Serena deserved better. He wanted it to be the most memorable night of their lives. Serena was still kissing him fervently, as he broke the kiss. "What's wrong Darien?" she asked him, still dazed from the kiss. Her lips were tender from their lip lock.

"I don't want it to be like this," he said, looking in her eyes.

"But I want to Darien…" she said, trying to claim his lips again, but to no avail.

"I don't wanna treat you like every other girl I've been with…" he whispered, looking sideways.

"That was the past… Let's not waste the moment…" she said, begging him with her eyes. Darien lifted his eyes and gently kissed her lips again. She was still in his arms, her legs wrapped around him. Seconds later, the passion revived. He was kissing her with more strength. She was gasping for air. His hand moved to her thigh and caressed her there; she shivered in response, moving closer to him.

He decided that they had spent enough time in the vestibule, so he made his way up to her room. He knew where it was from the previous time he had to bring her home from the club. She quickly threw off her sweater, careless of where it would be in the morning. He laid her down gently on the bed and paused to look at her. Her eyes were burning with desire. He too desired her, right there and then, but his heart told him to take it slow. He took off his jacket and dropped it to the floor. He started unbuttoning his shirt while walking slowly towards her to finally lie over her, careful to not put any pressure over her body. He looked into her eyes and the feeling was mutual. His hand found its way to her cheek as he slammed his lips on hers with all the passion he could muster. She replied with the same eager force. Her hands made their way to his shirt and finished what he had started. She unbuttoned that single layer of clothing and threw it away, somewhere in the room. Her hands marveled at the touch of his bare skin; his chest so smooth, his broad shoulders… She pulled him closer.

Darien took it as a sign to allow him to continue. Without leaving her lips, he grabbed her and pulled her on top of him in one swift move. She moved away and sat on him for a second. Her hair was tousled. Her cheeks were slightly pink. One of the straps of her dress had left her shoulder and was now resting on her arm. She was breathing fast, dizzy with passion. 'Beautiful…' he thought before pulling himself up to resume kissing her. His hand grabbed her behind the head, she moaned in response. His other hand found the zipper on the side of her dress. The dress opened up smoothly and Serena took the other arm out of its strap. The dress lay around her waist. Darien moved to the curve of her neck. His hands found the hook of her bra. Serena stopped; he hesitated. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to…" Darien whispered in her ear.

Serena moved to face him. "No… I want to… I'm just unsure of my um… looks… it's been so long. I don't wanna disappoint you…" She blushed madly.

"Don't be silly. You could never disappoint me. You're beautiful…" he said, looking into her unsure eyes. He kissed her again and she kissed him back. He quickly unhooked what was keeping her chest imprisoned. He turned to put her on her back. He trailed kisses down her neck and rested on the soft peaks of her torso. She moaned to the sensations he was giving her. He used this moment to pull the rest of her dress off. He then moved down to her stomach and rested at the edge of her lace underwear. He looked up into her smoldering eyes and he slowly pulled off the remnants of her clothing, leaving kisses on her leg. She wanted him. She wanted him bad. He lifted himself up and looked at the beautiful goddess lying in front of him. His aroused senses were urging him on; he started unbuckling his belt. And moments later, there he was, in all his glory. He was picture perfect, the Adonis of modern times.

"Come here…" she purred. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed to feel him inside her. Her desire for him was overwhelming her; there was only one other time she felt this way and she didn't want to think about that. She knew that this moment, this night wouldn't end like it did so many years ago.

He got on top of her and started kissing her, showing that he felt strongly for her, that all these feelings were real and were only meant for her and no other. He paused and looked into her eyes to see if she was as ready as he was. One quick glance and he knew that she was. They both couldn't wait another second and so he completed her. She gasped at the pleasure. He moved slowly inside her, enjoying every feel of her. She was gripping his back and moaning in his ear. He reveled in the soft sounds that were coming out of her. She spread herself a little more, he breathed heavily as he went deeper. She wrapped her legs around him, matching every thrust with him.

"Oh… Darien…" she whispered.

"Serena…" he groaned looking at her face. He continued. She turned him over to sit on him. Darien looked at her and grabbed her waist. He became even more aroused at the sight of her moving up and down on him. He went up and kissed her. Serena moaned into his mouth as he pushed her onto her back to return to the position they were originally in. They continued for what seemed like hours. Serena's peak was building up, the pleasure was too great. Darien was also nearing his boiling point. He thrust harder into her, understanding that she needed release as much as he did. She moaned louder in utter pleasure and desire. She was close to orgasming. He breathed faster into her ear, whispering her name, until they both surrendered to sheer bliss.

"I love you, Serena…" he whispered, out of breath, into her ear, lying beside her.

Serena blinked in amazement. She couldn't believe her ears, at that moment, she didn't care if he was lying or not. She knew that what she felt in her heart was true. "I love you too, Darien," she whispered, reaching her hand up to caress his slightly damp cheek. Darien smiled at her response. He shifted closer to kiss her gently and they both fell into a dreamless sleep in each others' arms.

**Author's notes:** OK people! Hope that wasn't too hard core for you all! I tried not to be too vulgar. Please comment! I'll try to post the next chapter soon. I know this one took a while… But it was super long, I didn't know where the appropriate place to cut it was. And I have a life haha… So… Will this happiness last? Are they finally together forever? We'll see… maybe or maybe not… I'm undecided on that… Happy holidays! ^^


	9. Damn the past

**Disclaimer: **The usual… you know the drill.

**Author's notes:** I'm so glad you guys liked the last chapter! -claps with joy- I bet you're all wondering if they're gonna be happy for long huh… Well here it goes! :)

**Chapter 9**

-Yawn- Serena stretched her arms out over her head. She had the weirdest dream last night. She dreamt she had the most magical evening with Darien. She turned to lie on her side. She couldn't believe it.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Darien said softly, taking in her beauty, his head propped up under his arm.

"You're here…" Serena whispered in shock.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked with that smile that made her knees weak. He brought his hand to her cheek to feel the softness of her face. She put her hand over his as if to confirm that he was really there. Serena blushed as the events of the night before dawned over her. As if he knew what she was thinking, Darien inched closer to her frail body. She looked up at his loving eyes as he neared her to finally embrace those alluring lips with his. She closed her eyes and revelled in the sweet taste of his mouth. He gently pushed her onto her back as he moved on top of her. 'This is so unreal…' she thought happily.

**DRING! DRING!**

Darien pulled away and looked at her questioningly, wondering if she was going to answer it. But Serena didn't want him to stop. "If it's important, they'll leave a message," she said quickly, before pulling his lips back onto hers.

**DRING! DRING!**

They were smiling against each other's lips.

**DRING! DRING!**

_Hey! You've reached Serena Lawrence. I'm obviously unavailable, so leave your message and I'll call you back as soon as I can. Bye!_

Her message resonated through the whole apartment, while they were still in each other's arms.

"SERE! It's Mina. I know you're there! I called Daniel to be sure. So pick up already!"

Serena's eyes bolted open. "I'm going to kill her…" she muttered under her breath.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up, PICK UP!" said the voice of her best friend with visible urgency.

Darien laughed. It just made her want him even more, but the only way to make Mina go away was to answer. "Ugh…" she groaned, as she moved him off of her to grab her bedside phone. "Ok, Mina, what's so important?" she demanded annoyed.

"Finally!" Mina screamed back. "I've been waiting for your call the whole morning, Sere!"

"And why would that be?" Serena answered with the same annoyance.

"You're big date, silly! You promised you'd call me first thing in the morning and it's like noon."

Serena glanced at her clock. 'Crap… It's later than I thought it was…' she said. Darien was beside her, caressing her belly. He could hear Mina's voice as well as Serena did. "Ok, I'm sorry I didn't call you. I overslept," Serena said less tense now.

"No need for apologies… Sooo, how was it? I need details!" Mina exclaimed.

"Can't this wait 'til later Mins…" she said looking at Darien's smouldering eyes.

"Nope. You've gotta tell me everything! Was the secret admirer hot? What did you do? Did you sleep together? Was it any good?" she asked excitedly.

Serena blushed, mostly because of the last questions. Darien immediately perked up; he was clearly interested in hearing what Serena had to say. He smiled mischievously as he gently urged her on. "Well… he… didn't turn out to be who I expected it to be…"

"Did he take you out to dinner?"

"Mmhm. He took me to Lita's coffee place first then we went to Coney Island. But the best part was the dinner on the boat and the ride up to the statue…" Serena answered dreamily. Darien snickered. She glared back and made a shushing motion.

"The statue of Liberty?!"

"Mmhm… He took me to the very top. Employees only. Everything was closed. He paid them to keep it open for the date."

"Holy cow! He must be a rich bachelor or something…" There was a slight pause.

"You have no idea…" Serena muttered more to herself than to Mina.

"That's all?" Mina asked a little disappointed. Mina wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"No… We sorta… kissed… at the top…" Serena remembered. How could she forget? That _kiss_. It felt like a dream, too good to be true, but she was glad it was. "Oh Mina… It was so perfect. I felt warm and cold at the same time. My heart was beating so fast… I felt dizzy, but a good kind of dizzy…" she blurted, forgetting that Darien was right beside her. Darien smiled. Serena blushed furiously.

"Wow… you must've slept with him if you sound like that!" Mina said giggling.

Serena looked at Darien's expression. She could tell that he was listening intently. She couldn't not say the truth. She was cornered and she knew that he knew that as well. "Yes… yes we did it…" Serena answered blushing. Darien chuckled silently.

"Well… Details Serena!"

"Details?! I can't give you details! That's personal!" Serena screamed. It's not that she minded talking about it to her best friend; she just minded talking about it in front of Darien, which was kind of stupid when he thought about it. It wasn't like he wasn't there.

"Oh c'mon Sere! Grow up! Since when have we not been up close and personal with each other?" Mina said, raising an eyebrow. Serena sighed. She was going to have to fess up. "So Sere… was it good? Passionate? Bad? Is he huge? Normal? Or Tiny? How's his bod? What positions? Wh-?"

Serena cut her off. "Ok Mina! I get the point! Slow down…" She looked around the room to avoid Darien's gaze. She knew that he was waiting for her answers with those playful eyes of his. She didn't like the fact that she was being put on the spot like that. She knew that he was getting pleasure out of this childish game he was playing. She knew what to do. "Well, as surprising as it may sound…" she looked at Darien. He frowned knowing that something was up. "He's a great kisser, but in bed! In bed, he's awful! He keeps trying to do all these… these things to me! It was pretty sad actually," she said, trying not to giggle. Darien looked at her wide eyed.

"No way!" Mina exclaimed.

"Mmhm! And let's not mention his… manhood."

"It's tiny, isn't Serena?" Mina said flatly.

"You could say that… but let's not exaggerate. It's a tic tac," she giggled. "That's more appropriate." Darien looked appalled. He tried grabbing the phone from her but she just kept avoiding him.

"God… poor guy… Is it someone I know? From the building maybe?" Mina asked pitiful of the man Serena was talking about. Serena knew that this would be the perfect comeback to Darien's antics.

"You _have_ seen him… he's everywhere on the news these days…" Serena said slyly. Darien stopped for a second. 'No… she wouldn't…' he thought. As if she was reading his mind, she nodded with a huge smile on her face.

"Really?" Mina asked, trying to find news reporter names.

"Yup… you'll never believe it, but… it's Darien Shields! The mystery guy is Darien Shields, Mina," she answered.

Mina gasped. "NO WAY! YOU AND DARIEN?! HE'S YOUR SECRET ADMIRER?!"

Serena laughed. "I swear I'm not lying. You can even ask Daniel. He's a witness. Mr. Shields is Mr. Mini," she scoffed.

"How can he be bad in bed?" Mina asked confused, more preoccupied with that thought than the fact that Serena went out with Darien Shields. "He certainly doesn't look like it. I mean all those women…"

Serena laughed harder. She was in hysterics now and Darien saw this as an opportunity to grab the phone. "Hey Mina, it's Darien." He looked at Serena who didn't seem to mind anymore. Mina was silent. "If I was that bad in bed, or that small for that matter, I wouldn't still be here beside her now would I? Serena'll call you back later to explain. Bye." With that he pressed the end button on the cordless phone and threw it off the bed. His ego was slightly injured.

"Hey!" Serena said.

"What was that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Only something you deserve for eavesdropping on my conversation!" she replied.

"I just happened to be there when you answered!"

"Right, like you didn't want me to tell her what I thought about last night!" she said crossing her arms.

"What DID you think about last night?" Darien asked mischievously as he approached her figure.

Serena uncrossed her arms. "I-I-I…" she stuttered, blushing madly. She couldn't focus when he was looking at her the way he did.

Darien was close to her now, above her. "Was I _really_ that bad?" he asked huskily, his eyes looking into hers.

"I-I don't know…" she answered, trying to sound mad. She couldn't remember why she was though. The smell of him was surrounding her and was making her surrender to her senses.

"How 'bout I remind you?" Darien said deeply, before kissing her. Serena moaned in response.

--

"Ok… I'll call Mina and tell her the truth…" she said panting. He was way too good in bed. 'It should be a sin to be that good,' she thought. Not that she minded of course.

"Good," Darien smiled, as if he won a bet. He lay beside her, sweating.

Serena turned to him, catching her breath. "Darien?" she asked softly.

"Yes?" he smiled. He loved hearing his name on her tongue.

"Did you mean what you said last night?" she asked, looking at his chest.

Darien knew what she was talking about: those three faithful words. He turned to fully face her. He grabbed her under the chin and gently tilted her head up so that he could see her eyes and prove to her that he was very much in love with her. "Every word," he said.

Serena smiled. She moved up to peck him with a kiss on the lips. She stared into his eyes until he spoke. "I think it's about time we got up…" He looked at the clock. It was 2:30 PM.

"I _am_ kind of hungry…" Serena said.

"And I need a shower," he replied.

"I'll go make us something to eat," Serena volunteered as she got up from the bed.

"Unless... you wanna join me in the shower…?" he said, giving her that smile she loved. She would've said yes if not for the loud grumble of her stomach.

"Do you ever get tired, Mr. Shields?" she asked smiling.

"Nope. That's not in the job description," he said, getting up to join her. He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Don't burn anything. I wouldn't want a replay of last time…"

Serena slapped him gently on the arm as she remembered the eggs she tried to make and the pan she ruined and had to throw into the pool. She couldn't help but giggle though. "Shower's through there." She motioned to the bedroom's bathroom.

"I think I'll go shower in my apartment." He quickly put on his button down shirt. "Maybe get some clothes as well…" He was fully dressed now as he walked out her bedroom. "Remember… no eggs," he said jokingly.

"Oh shut up!" she replied playfully, throwing one of her pillows into the hallway.

--

Darien made his way down the stairs, after avoiding Serena's fluffy pillow.

"SERENA! Blaze and I are back! I didn't wanna disturb you this morning, so I came without calling. Hope-" Amy was screaming loud so that Serena could hear until she saw Darien, without socks and with a partially buttoned shirt. She blushed and curtsied. 'I did not just curtsy… in front of Darien Shields…'

Darien saw this funny little gesture, but decided to play along with it. "How do you do, Mademoiselle…?" he said bending forward like a king.

"Amy." She giggled.

"I'm-"

"I know who you are, Mr. Shields." She couldn't believe it. Darien and Serena in the same apartment meant only one thing… She needed to talk to Serena.

"Please, call me Darien," he said with that smile.

"Of course. Well… um… I brought Blaze back home. I take him out every morning when Serena can't. And she specifically told me to take him yesterday and today because of well… you know why… She didn't want any disturbances..." she said smiling apologetically at her rambling.

"Well, Serena's taking a shower so I guess you could stay. She's going to make us some of her famous eggs…" Blaze winced at the thought. He too remembered that wasted food. Darien patted him on the head. "You're welcome to stay. I'm sure she'd love the company." He smiled politely.

"Right. I guess I could stay for a bit…" It was hard to refuse Darien Shields.

"Good, I've gotta run to the apartment. I'll trust you'll leave hers in perfect condition?" he asked jokingly, while walking out Serena's apartment door. Amy simply smiled. 'Wow… Serena and Darien… Together… He's way cuter in person…' she thought before taking off the leash off Blaze's collar.

--

Darien swiped his card through the slot and walked into his spotless apartment. It felt different than Serena's. Her apartment was filled with sunshine and warmth; his was cold and spacious. He couldn't believe he actually lived there.

"Finally, you're home…" said a voice from the far end of the room.

Darien couldn't believe it. "D-Dad?"

"You're one and only," said the well-built man in a business suit. He was an older version of Darien Shields; tall, dark and handsome. Clearly, age wasn't a problem. He came forward and gave Darien a hug.

"How'd you…?"

"Get in?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "Daniel's a wonderful young lad." Darien's father took one look at his son. There was a change in him. He could tell by that spark in his eyes. He couldn't help but notice how… happier his son was compared to the last meeting they had. It didn't change what he was about to say though.

Darien frowned. He was going to have to speak with Daniel about security around here. Despite his love for his father, Darien felt like this wasn't just a regular family visit. His dad was equally busy overseas. "What do you want, dad?" Darien shrugged as he went towards his room to his personal bathroom. His dad's smooth look irritated him and he thought he should take a shower to cool down. His dad followed. "Do you mind?" Darien asked annoyed as he shut the door a little. He left it partially open so that he could hear his dad from the hall.

"Darien. I can tell that you're irritated, but what I'm about to say is for your own good," his father started with a harsh tone. Darien rolled his eyes as he started his shower.

"Michelle called me yesterday."

Darien froze. 'Michelle?! Why would she possibly call him?' he thought.

"She was quite… angry." 'That's an understatement,' his father thought. He too knew that Michelle's wrath was as good as the devil's. "Hum… well… she told me she saw you and this girl… a blond. She was quite peeved about it."

"She's always _peeved_ about something and besides, what does it matter? You know how I feel about her… she's too high maintenance," Darien said scrubbing his torso.

"Listen son…" His father's tone was close to a whisper. "Have you forgotten about your mother?"

Darien stopped moving. He hated it when his father brought her up. He didn't know how much pain it caused him to hear him talk about it like that. He always seemed to use her as a bribe. "No, dad. I haven't forgotten."

"Then what are you doing with that girl?!" his father roared.

"Dad! She's not some girl! Her name's Serena Lawrence, you might know her. She's the son of your best friend."

Darien's father paused. He remembered little Serena: blond and bubbly. He remembered her as a little child, when he used to visit her father before he went overseas. She was the perfect little angel and it kind of reassured him that it wasn't some random bimbo, but he knew his son. It would be over in no time; there was no need to break Serena's heart when it would be too late. He had to end it, for his son and the company. "Son, you have to end it and you know it. You promised Michelle. And me. This little infatuation of yours will end Darien."

"She's different… She makes me _feel_ different. I feel free when I'm around her, like my old self…"

His father listened to him. He did talk differently. He knew the moment he looked at him that something had changed. He felt sad that he had to make sure he had to end it. He hated using his wife as a weapon. "Darien, you listen to me. Your mother did not die in vain! If you continue seeing this girl your mother's death will seem like nothing! And… you will be nothing to me either…"

There was a pause, only the running water was heard. "What are you saying Dad…" Darien asked, but he already knew the answer.

"You have to end this or Michelle will expose us! Do you know what this will do to us?! Jail son! JAIL! Or even worse!"

"I can't live without her… I love her." Darien stopped the water.

His father stopped and smiled. 'He _loves_ her?' he thought, surprised. He never thought that Darien would ever say those words to anyone. But, a man's got to do what a man's got to do. "If you loved your mother like I did, you will do what's right." He turned around. "This isn't a game Darien. You'll get Serena out of this. I'll keep in touch. I'm giving you a month Darien. A month to resolve this… issue. You marry Michelle or it's prison for the both of us." He paused. "You know I love you, Darien." With that, he walked out of the apartment.

'A month…' he thought. 'A month to do what?! Tell Serena that I don't love her when I've been fighting all this time to prove it?! I am going to kill Michelle… WHY did she have to be there that night? This'll kill Serena… but I can't tell her what I've done! Not now, she'll hate me… I'll just make the most out of this month and then I'll see…' He shuddered as he remembered that fateful night.

--

Years ago, when Darien was a mere teenager…

'Man basketball practice was intense today…' a young jet black-haired boy thought. He was seventeen and he loved the sport. He was the team captain and the regionals were approaching. He had his team practice in the evenings. He was almost home.

He lived in New Jersey. His father would go to New York to work and he didn't want his son to live the fast life; at least… not yet. He would leave Darien during the week, with the housekeeper, and come back during the weekends to spend time with his only child. Darien's mother died about six months ago and Darien had never forgotten it. She was shot by a local New York gang coming home from Shields Inc. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Darien's only distraction from life was basketball.

Today was Thursday and he felt that something was wrong. He walked through the door of their Victorian house. "Rosa? I'm home! You wouldn't believe the practice we had today!" he said, but no one answered. 'Hm… that's weird… maybe she's out back,' he thought, as he headed to the backyard. As he turned, he noticed his dad's coat hanging near the stairs. 'What's dad doing home? It's Thursday.' This fact didn't stop his excitement to see his father though. His dad loved basketball as much as he did and he knew that he would love to hear all about that night's practice. He quickly climbed the stairs and was about to shout for his dad, but someone else was with him, someone he didn't recognize. Darien quietly approached his dad's office and watched.

"Lucas. We had a deal," the other man said sternly.

"The deal's off Jack. You know what you did," Darien's dad said, pointing a finger at the other man. Darien didn't like the tone this Jack guy was using.

"You mean… Amanda?" the man laughed an evil laugh. 'Mom?' Darien thought. Darien's dad cringed. "You knew she was a threat to us. I told you not to involve her. I had to do what I did to save your company, OUR company. And look at where you are today." He gestured towards a copy of the Times. Darien's father was on it. "New York's rising CEO," he said slightly mocking. "Where am I in that Lucas? HUH?!" shouted the man, slamming his hand on the desk.

'He… killed… mom…' Darien froze. He couldn't believe it. All this time, he thought she had died by accident. But, she was _murdered_. Somebody wanted her dead and this man was him. Darien's fists clenched at his sides.

"You lost your chance when you murdered my wife you son of a bitch! You dare come into my house claiming that you deserve a share?!"

"I got you where you are!" the man snarled.

"I've paid it all back and more! You have no business here! Get out!" Darien's heart was racing in his chest. He didn't like where this was going.

"Damn it, Lucas, I came to talk. But if you're going to be a hardhead then…" A soft click was heard. The man had a gun. Darien's senses had him paralyzed, but he knew he had to do something. "Does this feel like a déjà vu or what Lucas?" said Jack.

Darien's father didn't flinch. "You're going to kill me like Amanda huh. Well… go ahead. You won't get your part like that."

"Oh, but I will. After I kill your best friend, I'm next in line for the company's wealth. Do you really want to be responsible for his death?" he asked with a sideways smile. "I mean… you caused your wife's death…"

"YOU killed her!"

"But you brought her in. That wasn't part of the plan now was it. So… what's it going to be? The company or your life."

"I will never give Shields Inc. to you. Amanda did not die in vain."

"Hm. Wrong answer." Just when he was about to shoot, Darien ran into the room with tears in his eyes. He was screaming like a mad man with one of the fireplace's pokers. Jack was caught off guard and turned towards the young boy. The metal poker pierced through the man's body and he fell to the floor. "Murderer! Murderer!" Darien screamed over and over again as he repeatedly hit the man with the poker.

"Stop son! Stop!" Darien's father shouted as he came around to grab Darien's arms, pulling him close. He looked at the man's deformed body. "It's over now… It's over… Let go…"

As if he was in a trance, Darien loosened his grip. "I-I-I killed him!" he shouted in horror. It sounded more like a question.

"Don't worry son… You did it to protect me."

"I'm… I'm just like him dad," he said looking at his father with terrified eyes.

"No, no son. If you didn't do it, I would be where he is now." There was silence. "Darien… listen to me… you mustn't say a word to anyone about this." His dad's voice had changed.

"But… we have to call the police!" Darien said in shock. "We have to tell them about mom!"

"No! They mustn't get involved in this. It's bad enough already. If they knew…" he looked at his son. "If they knew what I did to become who I am today…" 'It was a mistake… I shoulda listened to George Lawrence…' he thought to himself. Darien looked confused. "Listen Darien, not a word to anyone. I'll take care of the body myself. You go clean up. Just know… if we turn ourselves in, your mom would have died for nothing. It's bad enough I had to bring her into this mess, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I quit now… Just do it. For her…" he sighed.

Darien didn't understand what was happening. Were THEY the bad guys? Why didn't they call the police? But then he understood. 'What were my parents involved in?' Just that thought made him quiver in fear. But now he knew how his mother really died, well… not exactly. He knew that this was all for her. He hurried to his room to change and shower. He wasn't paying attention as he walked into his bedroom.

"I heard everything…"

Darien turned around. It was Michelle, his childhood friend, other than Andrew that is. High school had completely changed her. She became one of _them_. The bitch kind. He barely recognized her now; her transformation had been so abrupt. She was mean to everyone who wasn't "cool" and she was the most manipulative person he'd ever met. He regretted ever showing her how to climb into his room. He still had hope that she would return to the sweet girl he knew when he was younger. He kind of blamed himself for her being like that. He always thought that the fact that he didn't like her in a more than a friend way affected her change. "It was just my dad arguing with his friend…" Darien said, trying to cover up the situation.

"Is that why all your clothes are drenched in blood?" she asked. "I HEARD everything, Darien… and you can trust me. I won't tell anyone," she said. But there was a glint in her eyes.

"Thanks Michelle. I appreciate it," he replied as he removed his shirt. He saw Michelle's eyes widen as she took in his shapely torso. He quickly threw on another shirt. Michelle frowned and looked at his face.

"I won't tell anyone… for a price…" she said languorously. She moved up from the bed and moved slowly, trying to seduce him. "I want you, Darien…" she said into his ear.

"I'm sorry?" he asked moving away.

"I _said_ I want you," she said crossing her arms. "If you want me to keep my mouth shut, you'll be mine forever," she continued matter-of-factly.

"You're kidding, right?" Darien asked, skeptical. She sounded like a five year old.

"Why don't I go ask your dad then?" she asked. She didn't like the tone in his voice. She walked out towards the office. Darien panicked. She was serious. He tried stopping her but it was too late.

"Mr. S?" she asked knocking.

"Michelle?!" asked Darien's dad incredulous. Most of the mess was cleaned up, but he stood up in haste. "You can't be here…"

"I know what happened…" Darien's dad's gaze moved to Darien. "Oh. He had nothing to do with it Mr. S. I just happened to be here at the wrong time."

Darien's father panicked. 'It's all over now… I'm sorry Amanda…'

"I'm willing to keep a secret if you're willing to give me something in return," she said with a small voice.

Darien's dad looked at her questioningly. "Money? You want money?"

"No… something much more valuable in my eyes…" She glanced at Darien. "I want your son."

"My son?" Darien's dad stood taller. He was quite protective of him and he knew that this girl was trouble.

"I want him to be mine. Forever. Marriage and everything." Darien's father's eyes' widened in surprise. 'She's not kidding… What choice do I have?'

"Darien, you remember what we talked about," he looked at Darien's angry face. "Michelle's a fine girl."

"WHAT?! You're not SERIOUS?! I don't LOVE her!" Darien raged.

"Darien! You will do as you are told. For your mother." He looked at his son sternly.

"Da-"

"Not another word. When the time comes you will marry Michelle. We'll move to the city to erase all evidence of this… incident. With Michelle," he finalized. 'I'm so sorry, Darien...'

Michelle turned to Darien triumphantly. 'Finally, Darien. You're all mine…' Darien stared at her with hateful eyes. He was seventeen and already he was betrothed. "I have one condition though," Darien said, as he walked out of his dad's office, Michelle at his side.

"Go ahead," Michelle said. "It couldn't possibly change your fate now."

"Until we are officially married, I will not be fully yours."

"Fine…" Michelle was too ecstatic to actually know what he meant.

From that day on, Darien went to business school. He decided to forget that night and move on. His father would soon ask him to take over the New York headquarters. He moved from woman to woman to forget Michelle. He felt kind of sorry for treating the way he did, but anyone in their right mind would never have asked for such a thing, especially in the situation they were in. To him, this was a form of payback. Of course, he had to pretend that he loved her, but just enough so his secret wasn't jeopardized. Until today… that would have been the routine.

--

Present day…

Darien quickly changed. 'How long was I daydreaming for?' he asked himself. He slipped on a plain black t-shirt and some jeans. He combed and gelled his hair. He heard someone knock.

"Darien? It's me, Serena!"

"I'll be right there!" he shouted from the bedroom. He grabbed his card key and ran to open the door. There she was: the girl of his dreams. She was cleaned up now and was dressed in a dark blue short-sleeved shirt with poofy sleeves and jeans as well. He bent down to kiss her as he closed the door behind him. "Mmmm… you smell nice," he said as he took in her scent. 'Vanilla…' he thought.

"Thanks. I was getting worried there… I thought you drowned in the bathtub or something," she said smiling, walking to her apartment.

"Well, I thought you were burning your apartment so we're even," he said smirking.

"I'm still alive aren't I?"

"Indeed you are." They walked into the silent apartment. "Where's Amy?"

"Oh she left not too long ago. She wanted to give us our privacy…" she said with a mischievous smile, as she leaned in to kiss him.

"Mmmm… you have great friends…" he replied before joining her lips. -Sniff Sniff- "Serena… you didn't… by any chance… leave… the stove… running… did… you…?" he asked between kisses.

Her eyes opened in one swift movement as she broke away and ran to the stove. "Not again!!" she yelled. Darien ran after her. She quickly grabbed the pan and dumped it into the sink. "Shit, shit, shit!" Darien turned off the smoke detector before it rang. He looked on the counter and saw the egg carton lying there. He raised an eyebrow. "You were cooking eggs?"

Serena turned around embarrassed. "I… I just thought that I could make them again without burning them… which wouldn't have been great if you hadn't taken so long with your shower…"

Darien laughed. "I told you not to make eggs…"

"Oh shut up…" she said frowning.

"Come here." He went towards her and wrapped her in his arms. "I'll take you out and then we can have a Sunday evening Serena-style."

"Alright… let me grab a few things…" she answered, moping.

"Mind grabbing my jacket also? I think it's beside your underwear…" he said looking at her with that smile that made her weak in the knees. She blushed and ran up the stairs.

Darien moved to the TV and turned it on. He didn't want to think about his dad's visit, much less about hurting Serena.

_Later on E!Talk Daily, we talk about Darien's erratic behaviour. Could this be a cry for help? Who IS that blond girl? Whatever happened to Seiya de Marco? All this and more, tonight at seven._

'Man… the stuff they come with… How come _Andrew's_ never on TV?' he thought as he flipped through channels. 'I better call him actually… tell him the good news.' He grabbed the nearest phone and dialled Andrew's cell.

"Yello!" said a cheery voice.

"Drew! It's Darien."

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Romantic." Andrew chuckled. "How was your big day?"

"It was perfect. Everything was perfect. She was-"

"Let me guess. Perfect?" They both laughed.

"She absolutely loved it Drew. She's definitely not going back to that Seiya guy anytime soon."

"You're at her place now aren't you?" Andrew asked with a grin.

"How'd you know?"

"I don't recognize the number, which means that the night ended well, for the both of you…"

"Naturally…" He paused, knowing that Andrew got the picture. "Listen Drew. You remember that family problem I talked to you about? A while back?"

"Yep, what about it?"

"My dad came to visit me today, while I was back at the apartment," he whispered.

"No way. I thought he was overseas."

"So did I. He wants me to break up with Serena. Michelle talked to him."

"God I hate that girl. She's such a rat. It's hard to believe that you were actually _friends_. When she wants something, she really wants it."

"You know there's more than that. The whole secret'll spill. My dad gave me a month before I'm officially her fiancé."

"You're kidding. He's actually going to go through with this?? This is outrageous! You've gotta tell Serena, before everything blows out of proportion!"

"That's just it Drew! I can't! She'll hate me! She'll think I'm a murderer and that my dad's a crook! I can't lose her now, not when I just found her…"

"Dare, you have to. This could ruin everything."

"I could end up in jail! What good'll that do?"

"A month huh…" Andrew breathed heavily.

"Yeah…" He heard Serena coming down the stairs. "Listen I have to go. We'll talk later."

"Sure Dare. Just know that I'll still be your friend when you're in jail," he said, before hanging up. Darien rolled his eyes. Leave it to Andrew to be supportive.

"Who were you talking to?" Serena asked, handing him his jacket.

"Just Andrew."

Serena noticed his weird expression. "About?"

"Guy stuff…"

"Right…" There was a moment of silence. "You wouldn't lie to me would you Darien?"

"Serena… would I ever?" he flashed her that smile she loved. She felt reassured.

She decided to change the subject. "Where are you going to take me? Somewhere expensive I hope?" she said smiling, walking towards the door, grabbing her keys.

"Ah… now that I've taken you somewhere grandiose you expect me to do the same thing over and over again don't you?"

"Well… you wouldn't want my love to die down would you?"

"Oh… as long as I still get to have you in bed, I'm ok…" he said sarcastically.

She smacked him on the shoulder as they headed to the elevators.

--

They walked out of the elevators. "James was weird today… he kept looking at us funny…" she said to Darien.

"He's probably infatuated by your looks."

"Do I detect jealousy?"

"What? Me? Jealous? He has no chance, not when I'm around," he said smugly.

"Well, someone has an ego problem…"

"That's the least of it…" he replied. He was obviously thinking about his dad's visit.

Daniel was waiting at the front desk. "Good afternoon, Mizz Lawrence, Mr. Shields. I guess you 'ad a wonderful evening yesterday?"

Serena blushed. Darien answered. "We did actually. Thank you for asking. We'll be taking the car today." He motioned towards the crowd of paparazzi.

"Of course." Daniel dialled a number and they waited, hand in hand. Darien was caressing her fingers which send tingles throughout her whole arm. He looked into her eyes. She was so beautiful. "I love you," he mouthed silently. Serena blushed. "Ze car is waiting for you downstairs. Zhere iz no place to put it in ze front, Mr. Shields." Daniel smiled at the two lovebirds.

"I understand," he said in a business-like tone, without taking his eyes off Serena.

Serena loved it when he spoke like that. His voice was so controlled, so sure of himself, so… sexy. She blushed as they took the stairs down. Out of nowhere, Darien stopped and briskly pushed Serena onto the wall. His heart was pounding fast as he quickly bent down and kissed her deeply. Serena was still shocked, but she wanted him too. Her heart was beating as fast as his as she slipped her arms under his jacket and under his shirt. Being with him made her feel like she was on fire all the time. She felt the toned muscles of his torso. He broke away. "You have no idea what effect you have on me, Serena…" he said hoarsely.

"Neither do you…" she said breathless. Their kiss continued.

"SMILE! You're on camera!" A flash blinded them. Darien broke away quickly and turned. There were about three people with cameras and they had already taken what they needed.

"Shit," he muttered as they all scattered away.

"Well that was embarrassing…" Serena said, fixing her shirt.

"They shouldn't even be here, I put in a restraining order…" replied Darien, slightly annoyed.

"I don't really mind being on the cover of every magazine…"

"You don't? I thought that'd aggravate you," he said slightly surprised.

"What does it matter? You and I know that whatever they decide to print is not true, so there's nothing to worry about!" she smiled reassuringly. "How 'bout we take my car instead. Nobody'll know _we're_ in it," she said kissing behind his ear.

"So… since nobody'll know we're in it, we can continue this in there…?" he asked seductively, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

"Slow down there tiger…" she said. "We had plans remember?"

"We could just go back to the apartment…"

Serena laughed. "Don't you ever stop? I love being with you, clothes on _and_ off." She smiled as his eyes ignited at the thought of her being naked. "But… how 'bout we spend more time with our clothes on?"

"Alright. I'm sorry… It's just… Every time I'm with you, I feel so different. I can't control myself…"

"I can see why, I mean look at me!" she said jokingly.

"Look who has the ego problem now!" he smiled.

"I learn from the best!" she said as she walked away towards her car.

--

**Author's notes:** Ok! This chapter was done sooner than I expected. Hope you all liked it. Will Darien unveil his secret to Serena? Or will he keep his mouth shut? Suspense… I'm not sure when I'll post another one so I'll say it to be on the safe side again… HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :) Please review!!


	10. Ah! L'amour!

**Disclaimer: **Same thing as always…

**Author's notes:** It makes me so happy when you all review me! Well… I just thought about it but this next chapter has to do with Christmas… well… ish… I'll try to make the next one more about the holidays, just 'cause I'm in a Christmas mood. Enjoy!

**Chapter 10**

"I forgot how fast winter comes…" she said shivering as she closed the door of her car. Fall was coming to an end and winter would soon start. Everyone was gearing up for the first snow. Some people already had their whole winter suit on: knit hat, scarf, leather gloves – one person even had winter boots. It was weird how one day you could wear a sweater and the next need a jacket. 'Guess that's what they mean by an Indian summer… in this case, it'd be an Indian fall…' she thought.

Darien had his shades on, as to avoid being stared at by onlookers who recognize him. "Ready to eat?" he asked, flashing Serena her favourite smile.

"I was born ready," she smiled back.

"This way then," he said waiting for her on the driver's side. She quickly strode to him. As she neared, Darien softly grabbed her hand and gently led her to him. It caught her off guard. She turned around to look at him, but he was already inches from her. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, making onlookers smile at what a cute couple they made. Darien broke away. "You're beautiful…" he said giving her a crooked smile. Serena blushed and looked at the pavement. Darien's smile widened as he noticed her embarrassment. 'God she's beautiful…'

They made their way through a small crowd, walking hand in hand into a quaint little restaurant. Not a lot of people were in it since it wasn't exactly lunch time or dinner time. "Two please," Darien said to the hostess, as he took off his sunglasses. Serena noticed that the hostess was staring at him with a little more than affectionate eyes. She _definitely_ recognized him and she was _definitely_ trying hard to get noticed. Serena didn't mind; she was the one who would be eating with him, not her.

"The waitress will come shortly to take your orders," she said, leading them to a table on the side and giving them their menus.

"Thank you," replied Darien, flashing her one of his multi-billionaire smiles. She blushed before walking away. Serena stared curiously at him from the top of her menu. 'Doesn't he notice them?' she asked herself, observing his calm and collected movement.

After a few minutes, the waitress made her entrance. She too was standing slightly taller than she should. "Are you ready to order?" she asked with one of those fake plastic smiles. And that wasn't the only thing that was plastic.

Serena was too busy analyzing this bimbo to notice that Darien was staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "Ahem…" The sound came from Darien. Serena turned to look at him.

"Oh… oh… right… I'll have…" Serena was too busy thinking about these women fawning over Darien that she hadn't even picked a dish. 'Shit, shit, shit…' She picked the first thing that she saw. "I'll have this," she said pointing at a random number. The waitress bent over to see.

"The liver covered in garlic sauce?" the waitress asked.

"Huh? What?" 'Shit. I hate liver… _and_ garlic… why didn't I just read the menu when I had the chance?'

Darien was looking at her, repressing a smile. "We'll both have the seafood alfredo," Darien said, smiling at the waitress.

"R-right…" she answered, composing herself. It looked like she was about to faint. Serena frowned. 'Ok. Calm down. I'M with him remember, Serena?' she thought to herself. "Anything to drink?"

"Two cokes, please," he replied, still smiling. 'Why is he smiling like that? He's not helping her case…' she thought in frustration.

"Ok great!" she said, still standing there, eyeing Darien.

Serena noticed her lingering there. "That'll be all," she said curtly. The waitress turned around briskly, as if she didn't know Serena was there, and flashed her a deathly look before walking away. "Well… do you think she'll spit in my food?" she asked Darien, placing the napkin on her lap. He was looking at her with a large smile.

"You're adorable Serena," he said, simply.

"Apparently you are too, according to them," Serena said, gesturing towards the kitchen doors. "Do you not know what effect you have on people? I mean they're probably gushing about you in the kitchen right now."

"Really. I have an effect on people?" he asked, leaning over the table.

"Mmhm… Well not _people_. More like girls and women everywhere. You must've noticed something!" she exclaimed, grabbing some butter for her bread.

Darien smiled back. "You're not jealous of them are you?"

Serena looked up from munching her bread. "Well… it's kinda hard not to be when you're giving them all these signals…" she replied, her mouth a bit filled.

Darien stared at her, clearly interested. "Signals?"

Serena looked at him dumbfounded. 'He can't be serious!' "Yes! Smiles mostly…"

He chuckled. "I'm supposed to smile like that all the time. It's a force of habit. On TV, on camera… It's how I get my deals sealed. It also helps when the customer's a woman…" Serena glared at him. Darien chuckled again. "Serena…" he started, grabbing her hand across the table. "When I smile for all these people, it's not because I _want_ to, it's because I _have_ to; like I said, it became a habit. When I smile for you, it's because _you_ make me smile."

Her eyes softened at his words. Her fingers shifted to interlace his and she began caressing the skin surrounding his thumb. She smiled as she took a bite out of her buttered bread. The waitress frowned at the sight of their intimate moment as she brought them their cokes. She humphed as Serena muttered a small thank you.

Serena found herself absorbed in Darien's eyes; they were so… captivating, so… _mysterious_. She still had so much to discover about him, little did she know how much or how dark were his secrets. 'If you only knew…' Darien thought. 'I hate keeping you in the dark about this Serena… But it's better this way. At least for now…' he thought as he gazed into her innocent eyes.

The food was exquisite, even if she had an inkling that the waitress spat in her food. And Darien was… just Darien; the Darien that you wouldn't see on TV, the Darien that wasn't absorbed with work all the time, the Darien that only Serena was able to bring out. Serena felt like she was in a dream. She was sitting with Darien _Shields_. THE Darien Shields. And, he loved her. She of course loved him since the day she fell in her pool even though she hadn't known it yet. But she would have never thought that Darien Shields would fall for her. HER out of all the girls in this restaurant, in the city, in THE WORLD.

She excused herself to go the bathroom. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she knew that she was privileged, no, _lucky_. Lucky that she had him, but even more lucky because he loved her.

It still came as a shock that Darien Shields was still with her. It was all so surreal. She was deeply, head over heels, crazy in love with him. But how did she really know that _he_ was? I mean he's said it, but would he love her for a week? A month? A year? Everyone knows that Darien Shields wasn't the settling down type. Serena pondered this with sad eyes. Even if it did end tomorrow or in an hour, she would still be in love with him. She had never felt like she did now, not even with Seiya. There was a fire in her heart that only burned for Darien and she knew that it would be hard to extinguish. Her heart pounded in her chest as the thought of Darien waiting for her at the table crossed her mind. It definitely wasn't plain old love. It was LOVE. In the end, all she could do was hope that this dream would never end.

She walked out to join the man of her dreams. He flashed her that smile she knew so well. He left a hefty tip at the table as she buttoned her jacket. "You shouldn't you know… she was kinda grouchy…" Serena said.

"It's the least I could do to mend her broken heart," he replied a bit sarcastically. They walked out and Darien headed for the car.

"How 'bout we take a walk?" Serena asked.

"It's cold," he replied simply.

"It's not _that_ cold. Besides, you told me we were going to spend Sunday evening MY way, remember?" She smiled knowingly.

"You're right, I did. I _am_ a man of my word. We'll walk," he said, putting his arm around her waist. Serena suddenly felt warmer.

--

It was already getting darker due to daylight savings time. They were both walking in silence, enjoying the feel of New York City as the holidays neared. Occasionally, Darien wouldn't be able to resist her and he would quickly steal a kiss. "So… this is how you spend Sunday evening?" Darien asked her.

"Sometimes… I'm usually with Mina though," she replied.

"Am I a good replacement?" he asked smoothly.

Serena smiled. "The best."

Darien grabbed her right hand and slipped it into his left pocket. He intertwined his fingers with hers. Serena blushed. "You know Serena… I've never been this close to someone… I don't mean physically, more emotionally. The way I act around you is different, kinda new to me… like this," he said, gently squeezing her pocketed hand. "It may not mean anything to you, but to me… to me it feels like… heaven or at least something close to it. Like… like I've been running for miles and miles and I've finally crossed the finish line. Just that feeling… that second of realization that I made it… And that you're there waiting for me…" He finished and turned to look at Serena's expression. They stopped walking. She was in complete awe. "You think I'm crazy don't you?" he asked, slipping her hand out of his pocket, but still holding it.

"Yup…" She faced him. He flinched. She smiled. "But that would mean that I am too…" He lifted his eyes to look at her. She obviously felt the same. He slowly bent down and kissed her in the middle of the sidewalk. People would curse as they avoided the couple, but it didn't matter to them. Serena moved onto her tiptoes to give more ardour to the kiss. She had her arms on his shoulders now.

"Look Ma! It's snowing!" screamed a little kid at the corner.

Serena and Darien separated from their kiss. Snow flakes were coming down on them as they looked into each other's eyes. Serena had the brightest idea. "C'mon," she said as she pulled Darien's arm.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked.

"It's a surprise!" Serena said ecstatically. Darien followed closely behind her.

--

"Hurry!" Serena shouted running through the park with Darien not too far behind her.

"The suspense is killing me Serena!" he screamed at her.

"Don't worry we're almost there." She finally came to a stop. They were in Central Park and the sun was just about done setting. The street lights were turning on. Soon, so would Central Park.

Darien looked around him. They were in a dark and secluded area. One would think that it was calling for danger. Nothing but the wind could be heard. The trees were covered lightly with the fallen snow. A single bench could be made out in the small cleared space. 'Why would anyone come here?' he thought to himself. "Serena? What are we doing here?"

"You'll see," Serena said. She could hear the worry in his voice, but this place was special to her. It was a place where she was able to think. There were lots of memories here, some she regretted, and some she'll never forget. It was a place where she could escape the hustle and bustle of the city, a place where she could dream.

A few seconds later, the lights came on in the park. Lights on certain trees could be seen from afar. Finally, _her_ spot lit up. Suddenly, the bench was crystal clear as lights of all sorts adorning the bushes and trees lit the tiny section up. There were other places like this around the lake but this was her favourite. The silence made it beautiful. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of the wind.

"Wow…" she heard Darien mutter. "I never thought such a place existed." He paused. "I should go out more often." He smirked and looked at Serena who was a few feet in front of him with her eyes closed. 'She looks so peaceful…'

Serena, sensing that he was looking at her, decided to come out of her trance. "I used to come here all the time. My dad brought me here when I was a kid. He and mom shared their first kiss on that bench." She pointed to it. "I think that's what started my obsession with this place. I never knew my mom… she died right after I was born. I always felt like I had a stronger connection with her here, like I knew that she was watching over me… When I was _rebellious_… I'd come here to escape, to think. I thought of this place as some sort of protection, that _she'd_ protect me." She paused. "When I was little I always thought that this place was magical. The lights would mesmerize me every time, like a special force brought them to life." She giggled. "Silly, huh?"

Darien stepped closer to her. "Of course, all kids are silly." He led her to the bench, knowing that there was more to her story. He cleaned off the snow and they both sat in silence.

"As I got older, I'd picture my first kiss," she continued. "'Just like mommy and daddy' I'd say. And then it happened. With… Seiya," she looked at the ground.

"Serena… you don't need to tell me anything," Darien said softly, knowing that this was a touchy subject.

"No… it's ok. I mean I told Andrew already… you should know too."

Darien smiled softly to urge her on. "I thought it was special back then… If I only knew what the outcome of all of it was, if I hadn't been so gullible, so… in love…" She looked up to see Darien's expression. There was no hate or annoyance, just affection. She continued her cruel story and watched as Darien's expression changed to hatred for Seiya. "You know that saying 'Love blinds'?" He nodded. "I always thought I was the perfect example for it. But then, he showed up, out of nowhere, in your office, and it was as if I was in high school again. All these pent up emotions. Things I wanted to say, things I wanted to tell him. But then, he told me that it wasn't all a lie, that he _did_ love me, that he _still_ loved me. I was so confused Darien. I was confused between the both you. When you were both around, I felt like there were two different Serenas. I was so torn between you two. I already had feelings for you by then and I couldn't ignore them. I tried convincing myself that it was just a silly little crush, that maybe I should give Seiya another chance. But it was impossible. Everywhere I looked, everywhere I turned; _you_ were there" She paused. "Seiya lost his chance... I'm all yours, Darien…"

Darien gave her a small smile. "Thank you for telling me all this. I know it's hard for you to talk about it. Come here." With that, she leaned into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her frail body. He breathed in the scent of her hair. 'Mmm…' "I still can't believe you told Andrew," he finally said.

She laughed. "He's a good friend. He cares a lot about you."

"I feel the same about him. We've been through a lot together."

"Really? Like what?" she asked, trying not to sound too curious.

This was his chance. He could tell her, right there. The whole truth about his past. But he didn't. "It's getting late, how 'bout we head back to your place?" he asked getting up.

There it was again. She felt that earlier today, after he talked to Andrew. That feeling of him closing up on her, like he was hiding something. He became cold, distant, but only for a split second. She didn't want to push him further though. She would wait, just like he waited for her. "Sure," she answered uneasy.

--

They walked hand in hand in silence back to the car. It wasn't one of those awkward silences. It was more like the 'we don't have to talk to be comfortable' silences. As they neared it though, they noticed a crowd of people around it. "Damn it…" Darien muttered. Serena saw them too. It was the faithful paparazzi. "Those damn girls ratted me out!" he said with irritation.

"I told you not to give her that much…" Serena remarked.

"Very funny. Think we can take 'em?" he asked her playfully, pointing to the crowd.

"How 'bout we take a cab instead?" she replied smiling.

He nodded and hailed an oncoming taxi. Just then, all the cameras shifted to where they were. They all started shouting his name and taking pictures galore. Some of them were getting closer and the couple entered the cab just in time. They quickly sped off as Darien gave the driver the address.

--

They arrived home to another wave of cameras. Serena was shocked by how many people worked for the tabloids and magazines. Were they always going to be around? Waiting for them to come home, to go out? They hurried into the building. Daniel wasn't at his desk and James was patiently waiting in the elevator. Serena and Darien quickly walked into the waiting lift. James smiled at both of them during the whole ride up.

Serena couldn't help feel guilty about the whole situation. There never used to be that many people around the building. There'd be the occasional photographer or two – she never knew for who though because back then she never knew Darien lived next to her – but not dozens. She knew that her presence created a new buzz. Everyone would want to know who she was and what she was doing with Darien. She felt like part of it was her fault. Even though Darien was used to be in the public eye, she knew that the tabloids were becoming a bigger burden.

**DING!**

"Pent house!" James said. The couple waved goodbye at him and walked into Serena's apartment.

"Darien?"

"Hm?" he groaned. He was also preoccupied with his thoughts. 'The tabloids are so damn annoying these days. Don't they have somewhere else to be? Or someone else to bother?'

"Is it always going to be like that?"

"Like what?"

"The cameras, the people waiting everywhere…"

"It's been like that most of my life. Just recently it's been a lot more… aggravating."

"It's 'cause of me, isn't it?" Serena asked cautiously. She waited for his answer. Darien knew that she was partially the cause of this new wave of photographers, but he couldn't blame her for it. She was just an innocent passerby who got swooped up into the storm.

"No, Serena. This has nothing to do with you. It's all about me. You have no reason to feel guilty. If there's anyone who should be blamed, it's me. It's my fault that you're all over the news."

Serena looked up. She felt relieved that Darien didn't blame her for anything, but also sorry that he had to deal with this every day. It still didn't completely wipe away the guilt. "But I'm the one who gave you suggestions, who pressured you to get the company back on track. I brought the spotlight back on you. The community center-"

"Was a great idea," he said cutting her off. He turned and grabbed her shoulders. "I know you feel responsible for this, but I'm the one who made all those decisions." She tried to protest, but he shushed her. "I don't regret any of it because they all brought me closer to you." He smiled as he noticed the instant flush of her cheeks. "So, they can take all the pictures they want because they'll be a constant reminder of how I got to you." Before she could say anything, he bent down and kissed her. Serena melted into his body as the fire in her heart shone more brightly. The kiss grew more passionate as she leaned in closer. He cupped her face in his hands, his senses whirling around him. She broke away slowly. "I'm glad a camera flash makes you think of me," she said in a whisper, teasing him.

"Mmmm… If you only knew _what_ about you…" he said with a devious smile.

"Hmmm… I think I can figure it out…" she said unbuttoning her jacket.

Darien grinned as he proceeded to take his own attire off.

--

They didn't make it to her bedroom. They ended up on the couch. Serena was lying under the couch blanket with Darien behind her. He was gently kissing her shoulder, while his other hand caressed the length of her arm. Serena's heart was pounding in her chest and she could feel Darien's on her back. She felt radiant, tired also, but that was beside the point. She shivered every time Darien's fingers would hit the right nerve and he would smile on her ear as he did so. Serena had no idea what time it was and she liked it that way. It made it seem like time didn't exist at all or that they had all the time in the world just staying in each other's arms like this. She turned to lie on her back. Darien was staring at her with affectionate eyes. She lifted her hand to gently caress the skin of his jaw. Darien kept observing her features: her soft blue eyes filled with love and desire, her delicate nose, her perfect tender lips… Just looking at her face made him wild. He never thought that he would one day fall in love, much less that the love of his life lived next door to him. He smiled at the thought.

"What?" Serena asked.

"I was just thinking that I never knew you existed, yet you were two feet away from my apartment."

"Well, you can thank the noodle I tripped on that day for that…" Serena said reminiscing as well.

"If I had known I had a beautiful girl living next to me, I'd have noticed you earlier," he said smirking.

"Oh I'm sure…" Serena said rolling her eyes. "Would you have felt the same way?"

Darien understood what she meant. He wasn't exactly looking for love back then. He was a bachelor and he used his title to pursue fickle women, not that there was much pursuing to do. They'd flock like birds to him, but as he looked at Serena, he knew that she would have never looked at him like those women did. "You know Serena… When I met you, I knew you were different than the others. I found it strange that you didn't have any desire to be with me, even though you knew who I was. As I got closer to you, I felt different. My _heart_ felt different. So yeah… I think I would've felt the same. If I met you a year from now, or ten years from now, or even in a future lifetime, I'd know that you're the only one I'm supposed to be with."

Serena stared into his eyes; so sincere… so truthful… "I love you," she uttered.

"I love you too…" he replied smiling. "You have no idea how much…" he said softly as he kissed her gently before she fell asleep.

Darien watched as her chest rose and fell with a slow rhythm. She felt so delicate in his arms. She was incredibly beautiful, so much that not even the word was enough to describe her beauty. As he watched her slumber, he couldn't help but think about the plaguing sound of his father's voice in his head. 'A month!' He kept hearing. 'A month for what? Why couldn't I just tell her? I had the perfect opportunity today! It could've been so easy. But how could I? _I'm a murderer_. A murderer no one knows about. But wouldn't she understand? Wouldn't she love me enough to ignore that fact? Or maybe hate would consume her… or fear? Hate I can stand, but not fear. Maybe Drew's right… I should tell her. The earlier the better. How can I though? She'd be so hurt. She'd think I'm a liar, that the company comes above everything and that I'd clearly do anything to be on top. Even _kill_. I wouldn't be able to see her hurt. She wouldn't be able to stand it, not again.'

Darien ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. 'UGH! Why did I have to be such a fool?! Why did my dad have to be involved so deeply?! What if I tell her and she ends up like mom? They're still around somewhere, lurking the shadows, looking for my father… It hurts so much that I have to hide everything from her. What am I going to do?! In a month, my father'll arrange my wedding. I can't leave Serena now… she'll be devastated. But in a month… maybe it'll be believable if I decide to go overseas. I'll leave Drew to take care of things here. I'll live with Michelle on an island and leave Serena to live a fulfilling life, away from me… I'll pretend that I don't have feelings for her. She'll be safe…'

He drifted off to sleep thinking about how much he loved her and how much it would hurt when he would have to leave her.

--

Serena awoke to the sound of pans falling. She rubbed her eyes and almost forgot where she was. She sat up and found that Darien was already dressed in a classy business suit. "Ugh…" she groaned. "Remind me never to sleep on the couch ever again…" she told Darien as she rubbed her neck.

"Sorry… I didn't wanna wake you so abruptly…" he said, holding up the pan.

"What are you doing anyways?" she asked, still half asleep.

"I thought I'd show you how eggs were done," he answered smirking.

"You're never gonna let that go are you?"

"Never," he replied. He proceeded to make scrambled eggs and toast.

"Why are you dressed so… spiffily?"

He looked at her incredulously. "In case you haven't noticed… it's Monday."

"So?" she asked, completely clueless.

"What do people do on Mondays?" he asked tauntingly.

"They… make breakfast?" she asked confused.

He laughed. "No, they go to work. And you're not an exception. Just because you're dating the big boss doesn't mean you get to slack off. Go and get ready or we'll be late for the big meeting."

"We have a meeting?" she wasn't exactly in the mood to go out. She wrapped the blanket around her and took a bite out of her toast.

"Yup, Drew called me bright and early today. Seems pretty important."

"I wonder what it's about…"

"You'll see, you have 10 minutes."

"Ten minutes?!" She quickly ate the remainder of her breakfast and ran to take a shower. She then ran to her closet. Darien followed her and leaned on the door frame. She was in a towel, deciding what to wear. She was about to slip it off until she noticed Darien grinning from eye to eye. "Do you mind?" she asked.

"It's not like I haven't seen you naked before…" he replied.

'Hmm… so that's what you want. After I wake up with a massive neck ache and then rush me to get dressed… I'll show you,' she thought. She walked sexily towards him and he straightened up. She grabbed him behind the head and slowly moved her hand to the collar of his shirt. She pulled him close and kissed him with all the passion she could find. She quickly pulled away against his will – and hers – and moved her mouth up to his ear. "I want you…" she whispered in a sultry manner. Darien gulped. "I want you to let me get dressed in peace!" she finished as she gently shoved him out of her way and closed her closet doors in his face.

"Well… someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today…"

"I heard that!"

Darien chuckled.

--

They arrived at the offices. Serena was still grouchy about her having to dress Speedy Gonzales style. She opted for a simple outfit: black dress pants and a white poofy sleeved button down t-shirt. The sound of her heels reflected her irritation. They walked into the elevators and she started to take her jacket off. "Need any help?" Darien asked in her ear so that she was the only one who could hear. He wrapped his arms around Serena, much to the rest of the workers' dismay. Serena felt slightly better now. She liked being the object of Darien's affection.

They got off on the last floor as usual and Serena was feeling slightly frisky. She pulled him out of the elevator and kissed him. She moved backwards towards his office. They entered his office and shut the door. He picked Serena up and put her on his desk. There was something very sexy about doing it in office… Wait. Let me rephrase that. There was something very sexy about doing it with DARIEN in HIS office. Serena let her coat fall off and Darien quickly took his off and threw it to where his couch was. "OUCH!"

Serena and Darien both looked at the couch. Andrew was sitting there. "Good morning guys! I can tell that you're looking well… both of you…" he said awkwardly. He looked at the couple: Serena had her legs wrapped around Darien and her hands were on the buttons of his shirt, and Darien had his hands under Serena's shirt. Serena blushed furiously as she unscrambled herself from Darien.

Darien frowned. "You're about to be _unwell…_" he said dangerously.

"I just saved you from being really late for the meeting!" Andrew remarked.

"We weren't going to be _that_ late, Drew."

"Ah… a quickie huh," he said grinning.

'Oh. My. God…' Serena thought, flushing red as a tomato, still sitting on the desk.

"Don't worry Serena, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You're two young souls, just trying to express themselves sexually-" Andrew continued. Serena frowned questioningly.

"Why were you here in the first place, Drew?" Darien asked, his passion floating away.

"I'm always here on Mondays, Dare! Heck I'm here every morning!" Andrew answered offended.

"Well… I'd advise you against it in the future," Darien said crossing his arms.

"One weekend with Serena and already you're sending me away!" Andrew said sarcastically.

Darien smiled; he couldn't stay mad at his best friend for long. "What's the meeting about anyway?" he asked casually.

"All I can say is that it's really important," he replied with a grin.

"Right, which means it probably isn't."

"I'll see you guys in Meeting Room A." Andrew walked to the doorway. "Don't be _too_ late now," he grinned and strode away, closing the door behind him.

Darien turned to look at the blonde beauty sitting on his desk. "Now… where were we?" he asked, smiling seductively. He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her deeply. She covered his strong hands with her delicate ones and broke the kiss, before hopping off the desk. "Maybe we can continue this later…" she said smiling sexily. "I'm curious about this meeting…"

"You're driving me crazy, Serena!"

"I know…" she cooed innocently before going to the elevator.

--

Serena wasn't sure which floor she was on, but it was one that she definitely had never been on. Meeting Room A was obviously the first one there. Its walls were made of clear glass and the seats were already filled with people. They were exchanging glances as they noticed that Serena and Darien were walking hand in hand. Serena took an empty seat, near the head of the table, across from Andrew.

"Good morning everyone," Darien interrupted in a business-like voice. He watched as he noticed that the head of each department was sitting in this meeting. It wasn't common. Usually, only a select few would be there in order to reinforce a deal. This was peculiar. "I'm not quite sure what this meeting's about so I'll let Andrew-"

They heard the elevator doors open. Darien thought that some head of department was missing, but it turned out to be someone he never thought would show his face again. Darien's jaw tightened as he saw the figure he grew to hate stride along the corridor. He was looking at him with hard eyes and the other person looked at him in the same way, as if to challenge him. 'What is he doing here?' he thought. 'I could break his face right now…' Andrew who was facing the corridor could see why Darien's reaction had changed so quickly. He too wasn't fond of this person. It didn't help that they were enemies either.

As she saw the expressions of her friends change, she decided to turn around. She had her back to the door and couldn't see what the silence was about. She turned to look at the figure that used to haunt her. It couldn't be. Not again.

The figure knew that all eyes were on him. He knew he wasn't welcome here, but he just couldn't leave things like they were. He had to try. He walked through the doorway. "Hope I'm not interrupting something…" he said. "Information downstairs told me I would find you here." He was clearly looking at Serena, but to everyone else it was as if he was talking to Darien.

"Of course. Please take a seat; this shouldn't take long," Darien said through clenched teeth. 'At least, I hope it doesn't… The sooner I get outta here, the sooner I can break your face. I can't believe he has the nerve to show his face here!'

He conveniently took one beside Serena's, smiling while doing so. "It's good to see you again Serena."

Serena gulped.

--

**Author's notes:** Who is this person? Someone from Serena/Darien's past? How does Darien/Serena know him and what does he/she have against him? I'll write the chapter quickly I hope! Sorry for the cliffhanger… Happy holidays again! Keep reviewing!


	11. The fight begins

**Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 10…

**Author's notes: **Please keep reviewing! Leave all the comments that you like. Also, I love it when people give me suggestions. But, I don't want my story to be predictable. Don't get me wrong they're good suggestions, but they're also stuff you read in other fanfics. And it's hard to deviate from the "normal" when there's like thousands and thousands of fanfics out there… I write stuff as I go; I don't have anything really planned out. I don't even know when my story will end either. This thing might turn out like a soap opera or something: never ending… I hope not though. Anyways… I bet you're all dying to find out who this mysterious character is so… without further ado, here's chapter 11!

**Chapter 11**

Serena gulped. 'This can't be happening…' she repeated over and over again to herself, as she stared into the man's eyes. "Hello Serena," the man uttered softly.

"Hi… Seiya," she replied, twisting her fingers in her shirt.

Darien noticed that she was uncomfortable. He didn't like this guy from the start and he was convinced that Seiya wasn't here for show. He decided to interrupt their eye lock. "Ahem… we were in the middle of a meeting," he said looking hard at his rival.

Seiya took him on. "Please. Do continue," he said a bit harshly with a sideways smile.

Darien smiled sarcastically. "As I was saying, before we were interrupted…" He glanced at the man sitting beside Serena. "Since I'm not quite sure what the commotion is about, I'll let Andrew take over this one. Andrew?"

Andrew got up quietly. He looked at Darien and he could tell that he was frustrated. He knew his best friend from the inside out and that Darien was using a Herculean force to keep his temper down. He hurried on with the meeting. "Right, so I've spoken about this issue to several departments and as you can see… they've all agreed."

"Agreed with what?" Darien asked as he sat down.

"Hosting a Christmas party."

"This is about the Christmas party?" Darien asked monotonously. He glanced at Seiya. He didn't want an outsider to think that they conducted large meetings about futile things such as this. "I thought we had a planner for this. It's what we do every year."

Andrew looked at his friend with sympathetic eyes. "You may not remember, but I have told you that she's retired. We're stuck without a planner." Clearly, ever since Serena walked into his life, Darien had forgotten all about his life as a tyrant. Andrew remembered that the downfall of their company had made him irritating and unbelievably cruel. The Christmas party was a definite no, back then, when the topic had come up. Andrew had told Darien that the planner had retired over the summer and that they should be thinking of getting a new one before it was too late. Darien had simply answered that he would not put the very little money they had left into something as ridiculous as a party – Darien had used much harsher words though.

"Ok that's not a problem. We won't have a Christmas party this year," Darien replied matter-of-factly.

"With all due respect, the Shields Inc. Christmas ball is one of the most sought out events to attend. If we don't have one, the media'll go even more nuts, if that's even possible… They'll assume our financial problems aren't resolved," Andrew continued.

"What are you suggesting?" Darien asked frowning.

"Well… that's just it. We don't really have suggestions. That's why I called the meeting. All ballrooms and halls are taken by this time of year and we need to make the company look spic and span again, make it seem like we're bursting with money." He paused and looked straight into the eyes of his lifelong friend. "You know I'm right Darien."

Darien swore that he heard a small snort coming from Seiya, but his business-like expression didn't change. He didn't really care if there was a Christmas party or not. It was a mere excuse to get dressed up and show an impeccable façade to the world. But, he had to admit, Andrew did have a point. It was all about looks and appearances these days and the company wasn't an exception. Serena had clearly proven that when suggesting the community center's renovation. "Alright. I'll host the party if we can find a place to hold it and the funds to do so." The last part was the most problematic: to host something as big as what Andrew wanted it to be, they'd each have to give an arm – and possibly a leg.

Andrew smiled. He had a knack at convincing Darien. "Good. Now that we have the boss' approval, we can discuss the whereabouts of the ball. Does anyone have a suggestion?" he asked looking at everyone in the room.

They all stared at each other, until Ekatarina spoke in her heavy Russian accent. "I have a summer house but it is not in ze city… but zit can contain a good amount of people."

"Good. Bring us pictures tomorrow and we'll discuss it further. Anyone else?" Darien asked.

Serena was thinking strong and hard about a place that could contain a good amount of people. The only party she'd ever been to was her prom and there were quite a few people who attended it. 'Hmm… where was that again? I know it was somewhere really fancy… I think it was at the Palace… but that place is probably already booked,' she thought. Prom wasn't exactly her fondest memory. She vaguely remembered the decorations and the music. All she knew was that everyone heard about what had happened between her and Seiya. She stayed only for a few minutes. They were all talking about her as if _she_ was the bad one.

Serena glanced at Seiya and noticed that he had an amused smirk plastered across his face. Was he mocking the whole situation? The Christmas party evidently had a huge impact on the company and it was definitely worth the risk. 'Wait… is he laughing at Darien? What is Seiya thinking? Does he still believe he has a chance with me?' Serena asked herself nervously. 'That's not important right now… think of a place… a big room… one that's accessible and available…' Her eyes lit up in excitement.

"The community center!" she exclaimed with a little too much gusto.

Everyone turned to her; they all looked at her like she was crazy, except for Darien and Andrew. "The community center is still being renovated Serena," Andrew said.

For a split second, Serena's excitement fell. 'Right… but what if…' "But what if we decided to get just the necessary done, just what suffices so that the roof doesn't give out or that the pipes burst. The broken walls could be covered with decorative drapes and such! Whatever can wait will wait!"

Darien and Andrew looked at each other. Serena was brilliant. Why hadn't they thought about that in the first place? The community center was theirs now. All they had to do was the necessary; just like she said. It was perfect. It was completely silent in the room; they were all waiting for Darien's answer. "I do believe we have a winner," Darien finally said.

Everybody's frown immediately turned into smiles. Serena could tell from their faces that the Christmas party was more than just an evening to dress up; it was a night that would lift their spirits up. It was clear that they would want that night to be one where they could finally be happy after all that had happened to Shields Inc. It would be a celebration of the perseverance that got them to where they were today.

"There is still one problem," Darien said. "The money."

As if they had all forgotten about this fact, their smiles faded into sadness. Right.

In the past few seconds, Serena had already pictured the hall decorated with curtains and everyone dressed in expensive dresses. It was a wonderful… dream.

Darien saw her expression change. The mood had changed within mere seconds. He turned to the head of the financial department. "How much of our funds is dispensable?" he asked sternly.

The stubby man looked up. He hesitated as he knew that Seiya was there. He was embarrassed to talk about their financial situation in front of a man that could boast in his glory. Darien nodded to tell him it was alright. It didn't matter if Seiya knew about their problems. He knew that Seiya had other matters in mind; like getting Serena back. The man started. "None, sir. As long as our… um… ex-partners ignore us, we have barely enough to cover what's left of the workforce here. Not to mention the community center renovation."

Darien nodded. This was it. All their hopes of getting back on their feet were slammed to the ground. He had to admit that the odds were leaning towards the negative side. Andrew should have never mentioned such a thing. Darien was already scraping off his own bank account to pay some of his workers.

"I'll pay for it."

The room turned to look at the man sitting at Serena's side. Darien didn't have to look up; he knew who had said those words.

Darien turned abruptly to Seiya. "I said I'll pay for it," Seiya repeated as if no one had heard him.

Andrew and Darien exchanged glances. "I can't let you do that," Darien said.

"Don't worry, I will arrange it so that you will not need to owe anything to the Blake Corp. I'll pay for it myself."

Darien eyed him; he was serious. He looked at everyone in the room. They were all waiting, hoping that he would say yes and yet wondering why their enemy would do such a thing. He knew that after all that had happened to the company and after all he did to them, he owed them. But, why was Seiya doing this? He shifted to look at Serena who looked equally surprised. 'Of course,' he thought. 'He's doing it to impress her…' "So what _do_ we owe?" he spat.

Seiya glanced in Serena's direction. Darien knew what he meant. He wanted Serena, but he clearly wouldn't say it in front of everybody. "As I said, nothing _material_." The tension between them was intense. Everyone in the room felt it. "Think of it as a gift…" he turned to look at Serena.

Serena looked back and understood what it all meant. 'I can't believe this,' she thought frantically. 'He's doing this for me?'

Darien pondered at the possibility of him paying. There really was no harm. If he was doing it for Serena, than the sky was the limit. Seiya wouldn't double cross him, not as long as Serena was present. He didn't want to look bad in front of her or he'd have no chance at winning her back – not that he had any at the moment. Two could play at this game. Darien did like a good challenge. "Alright, I will accept your offer. You will also be allowed to attend the party as a sign of our… _appreciation_."

Seiya smiled evilly. "I _appreciate_ it." 'This is going to be fun…'

Once again, Andrew, seeing the battle of the glares, played the peacemaker. "We still need to discuss the party. I'll go down to the community center tomorrow and tell the contractors about our new plans. Also, we don't have a planner so we're going to have to wing it."

"I have a solution to that."

Suddenly, all eyes were on Serena again. "I know someone who would be glad to plan this party. Her name's Mina Woods." She looked at Andrew. "She used to organize lots of mixers and dinner parties in high school." She glanced at Seiya whom she knew would think back to the times where they were together. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind. I'll get an answer from her later on today."

"It's settled then," Darien started. "The Christmas party will be held on December 20th. That should give us enough time to get things done. I hope that you will all be there and thank you for all your ideas." That concluded the meeting.

Everyone got up from their seats. They were already discussing what they were going to wear amongst each other. Darien looked at Seiya and Serena while everyone filed out of the room. They were talking softly to one another. He needed to keep his cool. He wanted to know why he needed to see Serena so much that he had to barge into the meeting.

Andrew leaned towards him. "I've gotta make a few calls for the party. Will you be okay?" he asked in a whisper, pointing his chin towards the man standing beside Serena.

"Yeah, of course. You don't think I can take him?" Darien asked jokingly.

Andrew smiled. "It's more like do you think _he_ can take _her_?" Darien looked shocked for a tiny moment, but he knew Serena was his. She had admitted it. They loved each other. Right? "Stay cool, Dare," was all Andrew said as he walked out to catch the elevator.

--

Serena's POV

The meeting had just ended. I watched as everyone's smiling faces trickled out of the room. I, too, had a smile on my face. I couldn't wait to jump into Darien's arms and tell him how excited I was.

"Serena? Can I talk to you?"

I had forgotten about _his_ presence beside me. I can't believe he had the nerve to come here.

"Serena… the reason I came-"

"I know you came to see me. It's obvious, Seiya. But, you're wasting your time." Wow… I had never spoken like that to him before. It was… exhilarating. Even he looked shocked.

"Well… I can see his attitude rubbed off on you," he retorted.

"Oh don't blame this on him! I've changed because-"

"Because you love _him_." He looked kind of sad. I felt a small pang in my heart as I thought about how it must hurt him to finally acknowledge this. "Listen Serena… I just didn't feel right about how our last conversation ended. I was harsh, but you have to understand that it came as a shock that you would go for Darien _Shields_, some guy you barely knew. I just want to say that I'm sorry for acting like a jerk and that I do still love you."

As I listened to his short speech, I felt relieved that he would finally feel closure. He was letting me go. Thank goodness. "Thanks, Seiya. I'm glad that you're telling me this-"

"I also came to say…" he cut me off. "That I'm prepared to wait for the day you'll love me again. I'm not going down without a fight."

I frowned. What?! It frustrated me more than it flattered me. What happened to closure?! Doesn't he get it?! I LOVE Darien. I'm WITH Darien. Now and forever. Seiya was part of the past. The battle was already over: Darien had won.

"Neither am I," said a voice behind me. A hand slipped around my waist. The tension I felt throughout my body loosened as I tingled at his touch. I saw Seiya's expression harden. Those sad puppy dog eyes that were there a mere second ago vanished. He looked so serious. It seemed kind of… pathetic? I had to admire his perseverance though. He had always been like this, ever since high school. Maybe I'd react like this if I lost Darien…

Seiya smiled a sideways smile. "I will expect a call from you with an estimate of how much the party will cost. I will send over a check in Serena's name since it was her idea."

"You don't have to do that… Darien's name is as good-"

"I think you know why I'm not giving it to Darien by now Serena…" Right. He was giving it to me because he hated Darien's guts. Ugh, can't Seiya just let me be happy? "Besides… this is all for _you_," he said. For _me_? What does he mean? Christ. _I'm not going down without a fight…_ He's doing it to _prove_ his love to me? Oh God. "You have my number Serena. I'll be expecting your call. Very soon I hope…" With that, he walked out towards the elevator. I was alone with Darien. My heart thumped slower and slower until it came back to normal. Was my heart pounding this hard all this time? As I watched him walk into the elevator, I felt as though my past had vanished and much to my surprise… it kind of hurt…

End of Serena's POV

--

"Are you okay Serena?" Darien asked softly.

Serena turned into his chest to avoid his gaze. "Yeah… I'm fine…" 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like something's missing…'

"You don't sound fine," he told her, as he lifted her chin so that she could only look into his eyes. "What'd he say?"

"He said… that he's not giving up on me…" she replied, although it was clear that something else was bothering her. She tried hiding it. "Don't worry. I'm yours. I love you…"

"I love you too, Serena." He softly caressed her cheek. "And I intend to keep you for a very long time… even if I have to struggle my whole life to have you."

All her thoughts about Seiya vanished as his firm yet soft lips met hers.

--

"C'mon, Mina! Pick up, pick up…" Serena murmured to herself into her cell phone. She was in Darien's office. He was returning the calls from the media and now he was bargaining, or whatever he does, with another company. He was smiling that oh so perfect smile at Serena from across the room, which made her blush slightly.

"Hello?!" said what sounded like an exhausted voice.

"Mina? Are you okay?" Serena asked worriedly. It didn't sound like her usual perky best friend.

"Uh… yea… -pant- I was just doing some early Christmas shopping… -pant- and this old hag didn't want to let go of well… I can't tell you… -pant- 'cause that'll ruin the whole surprise… -pant- but she just didn't wanna let go! I was being perfectly polite until she started down-talking me and calling me a stupid blond, so I got angrier and angrier. Then, one thing led to another… So I told her that she better give me the thing 'cause she was gonna die in a year or two anyway…"

Serena gasped, slightly amused. "Mina! You did not!"

"Sere! If you had seen this little old lady, you would've done the same! She wasn't innocent! So, she yelled for a security guard and that was my chance: I grabbed the thing and ran to the cash. Thank God there was no one! So I've been running out of the mall since. Hence why I'm out of breath, well, was…"

"I hope that present's worth it," Serena giggled.

"It is… don't worry," she answered in a sneaky voice. "So what's up? I have a feeling that you aren't calling just to chat…"

Serena loved Mina's intuition. They both shared this _link_ with each other ever since they were kids. "Right… I know that you've got a lot of time on your hands and I know that you've been looking for a job. So… I found one for you!"

"Oh God, Sere… how many times do I have to tell you? I don't want a job unless it-"

"Unless it involves being a planner," she completed. "But that's just it! I found you your dream job! At least for the time being…"

"Okay, Sere. Spill," she said skeptically. There were many times before when Serena had talked – more like gave in Mina's application without her consent – to several places in the city, all of which Mina turned down graciously. Mina wasn't exactly as tough as Serena when it came to school. Serena had graduated from business school, although she had no interest in following her father's passion, and Mina had no real passion in life. Even though she was organized and smart, nothing had seemed to interest her except when it came to creating and planning. She had discovered this during high school; every get-together from the school was done by her. The school dances, the mixers… they all wanted her. She would amaze everyone without putting too much effort. She knew that she wanted to plan and create events for the rest of her life. She had taken a few classes, but nothing that had given her a diploma.

"Well… we had this meeting today. It was about the Shields Inc. Christmas party… and we didn't have a planner so I nominated you."

"OH MY GOD! I'm gonna get to plan the Shields Inc. Christmas party?!" She was now shrieking with joy. "I love you Sere!"

Serena laughed. She knew that it'd make her best friend's day. "Of course you do! So, we have about three weeks to plan this thing. It'll be at the community center which means we'll have to go sometime soon to scout things out."

"No problem, Sere! Can we go now? I can't wait!"

"We'll have to wait for Andrew to give us the heads up about the center's state."

"Oh okay…" Mina said sadly.

"Don't worry Mins, it shouldn't take too long. There's also something else I wanted to discuss with you…" Serena motioned to Darien that she was going to step out for a bit. He nodded as an answer. Serena walked out and closed the office door behind her. She was happy that Darien didn't have a secretary to snoop on her. "It's about Seiya."

"Seiya?!" Mina exclaimed loudly. "I thought he was gone for good!"

"So did I! But he showed up at the meeting today."

"No! Doesn't that guy know when to give up?" Mina asked, slightly annoyed.

"I don't think he does. He told me he'd fight 'til the end, that he'd wait as long as it takes… And..."

"What is it, Sere?" Mina asked, sensing that there was something more to her story.

"I don't know Mins… As he walked away… I felt as though something was missing… like a part of me was gone…"

"Well of course a part of you is gone… he's part of the past. You've moved on-"

"No Mins. It's not that. It's more like a piece of _me_, like I lost a leg or something… like a piece of my heart… It felt like last time, when he just left…"

Mina sighed. "Oh Sere… do you still have feelings for Seiya?"

As the thought of her still loving Seiya dawned on her, she knew that it wasn't that that bothered her. "No…? If I did I'd be with Seiya, right? It's like I can't completely erase him from my past… He played a part in who I am today and… he was my first love… and I just can't change that no matter how hard I try."

Mina understood what Serena meant. It was obviously not easy to let go of someone you knew so well and loved so hard. She knew that it was difficult to shut him out especially now that he'd resurfaced and she knew that Darien had brought her strength by loving her the way he does. She understood that even if Serena did try hard to erase him from the depths of her mind, it would be an impossible feat.

There was silence on both ends. Serena knew that she was in heaven when she was with Darien and she wouldn't change where she was today with anything else. But, Seiya was inevitable. She decided to shove this little episode in a drawer in her mind and change the subject. "Hey Mins?"

"Yea?"

"How 'bout we go find a dress later for the party?"

Mina's eyes widened in excitement. "Eeeeee! I promise it'll cheer you up! I'll see you later Sere! Call me!" With that, she hung up.

"I'll take that as a yes…" Serena mumbled to herself with a smile. She heard a door open and out came the man of her dreams. 'Who cares about Seiya when I have what I want right here?' she thought dreamily. It was as if Seiya vanished from her thoughts. She would talk to Darien about it, when the time was appropriate. He'd understand.

"Everything alright?" Darien asked her.

"Perfect. Just perfect," she answered as she got up. "Mina's glad to do the job and we're going shopping later."

"Ah… for something sexy I hope?" he asked mischievously.

"If you think a party dress is sexy…" she was standing in front of him and playing with the collar of his shirt.

"Not exactly what I had in mind… but you'd look sexy in anything." Serena blushed. "You know that the Shields Inc. party is formal wear, right? Gowns and such?"

"Of course! I wasn't born yesterday!" she lied. 'Crap… this is gonna be harder than I thought… I haven't shopped for a gown since… since prom…'

"I was just making sure…"

"Hey there lovebirds! Ready Darien?" Andrew said as he came out of his own office, putting his jacket on.

"Where are you two going?" Serena asked.

"We're heading down to the community center. They want us to tell them about the plans before they continue. The earlier we settle it, the earlier we can plan the party," Andrew said.

"Also… they might need a little persuasion…" Darien trailed off, while taking out his checkbook.

"Darien! You know you can't afford to pay extra!" Serena gasped.

"Oh I know I can't… but I know someone who's willing to give you a whole lot of money for this community center…"

"I can't believe your gonna use Seiya like that!" Serena said offended.

"I promise we won't give _too_ much…" Darien said, giving her a peck on the lips. "Now, since you clearly aren't needed here as a public relations officer, you may go and do your shopping."

"Alright…" she answered, still sour about the guys being extortionists.

"Aw… don't be like that. You can include the dress on his tab as well!" he exclaimed, as he headed to the elevators. Andrew followed him chuckling.

Serena watched as the doors closed. She knew it wasn't fair to Seiya that she was letting them do what they wanted with the money. He has, after all only been anything but nice to her – well, except that one little episode all those years back. 'He brought this upon himself. He just shouldn't have come back...' she resolved.

As the silence of the top floor became more prominent, excitement got the best of her. She picked up her jacket and quickly dialled Mina's cell. "Mina. I got the rest of the day off. Let's go shopping!"

--

"Ugh… Mina! This is impossible! We've been to at least ten stores and tried at least 100 dresses! None of them have what we're looking for! They're all already taken by the rich and famous…" Serena moaned in despair.

"Pipe down Sere! You're acting like you've never shopped in your life! Besides you _are_ rich and practically famous…"

Serena's feet were killing her. "Maybe we should go back to that place with the navy dress-"

"Sere! No way am I letting you walk into a room with that dress! It wasn't flattering!"

"It was flattering enough!"

"You know the rules! Don't let clothes wear you and don't buy anything that doesn't look absolutely gorgeous on you!"

"Ugh… fine… How 'bout we come back tomorrow?"

Mina ignored her best friend's request. They were walking in the cold, exploring the most expensive side of New York City. She had to admit that she had never been as tired as she was now, but she was determined to find the perfect dress for her and Serena. "Okay, one more store and then we'll come back some other day."

"Thank you," Serena smiled apologetically.

As she looked at her almost twin, she noticed in the background a small store with the most stunning dress draped on a mannequin in the window. 'Why haven't we noticed that one before?' Serena realized that it was definitely in a peculiar area, not where most fancy stores would be located. It was at the end of the block, far from the main streets and was shaded by taller apartment buildings. Well, it was worth the try. "Mina? Let's go over there." She pointed behind her.

Mina turned around and started in the store's direction. "Are you sure we should go in there?"

Serena followed closely behind. "Oh c'mon! We should at least try. You're the one who wanted to keep going." Serena pushed her friend forward as an incentive.

They walked into the store and much to their surprise; the store was bigger than they thought. The most elegant dresses were hanging from every wall and a few mannequins were spread throughout the floor. On the back wall, changing rooms could be scene behind a pedestal. Mirrors adorned the doors. This place was like a palace. Suddenly, a tall woman popped out from behind the counter. She was equally shocked to see them, just as they were. They all gasped. "So sorry! You startled me! It's just been so quiet around here lately… What can I do for you girls?"

"Well… we saw that dress out in the window," Serena started.

"Ah yes… Let me guess. You girls are shopping early for prom?"

They both blushed. They took it as a compliment. They were used to being told they looked young. "Um… not exactly… We're going to a Christmas party," Mina said.

"But of course! So sorry..." The woman laughed embarrassed.

"We're going to the Shields Inc. Christmas party," Serena said, just to be clear.

The woman's eyes widened in shock. She knew what this party meant. Everybody knew what that party meant. It was the most glamorous event of the year. The dresses were splendid and were purchased at the most prestigious stores.

The woman revelled at the thought of these girls wearing one of her dresses. Business would be booming again. Serena and Mina both stared at her, expecting her to answer. The woman stopped gawking. "My name is Claire and I hope that you will find what you are looking for. Please don't hesitate to look around. When you are ready to try something just head to the back." The woman smiled warmly at both of them. She then moved from behind the counter and headed to the backroom.

"Well… that was weird," Mina said, staring at the closed back door. "At least she isn't hovering above us like in those other stores… Where do we start?" Mina asked, looking around her.

"I guess I can start by trying on that dress in the window…" Serena said, flexing her thumb towards the front of the store.

"Okay. I'll go try on that red one over there." Mina quickly hurried to check the price. "Oh my God. This dress is 8000$!! No wonder she hasn't had a customer in a while!"

Serena turned around to give her the parent stare. "Be nice Mina, besides I'll pay for your dress if you want me to. Or… I could always add it to Seiya's check…"

"Oh please Sere. You wouldn't dare. Besides, it's not like I don't have the money."

"Mina, you have credit cards. It's not exactly the same thing."

"Yeah, but you have credit cards too!"

"Um, no… I have ONE credit card and you have… what is it five now? And they're all practically maxed out. You know you're dad's gonna kill you…"

"Ugh… fine… I'll let you pay for this one, but I promise to pay you back," Mina shrugged, looking at all the price tags.

Serena smiled as she headed towards the back to fetch Claire. As she passed the beautiful mannequins, she couldn't help but feel the texture of the dresses that adorned them. She suddenly felt like she was a princess walking through her closet, trying to pick out which gown would suit her mood to rule the kingdom. She smiled at her girly reverie. She arrived at the door. Unexpectedly, the woman popped out just as Serena was about to knock. They gasped, yet again.

"So sorry again. I'm not used to having customers anymore…" Claire said looking to the floor.

"Right," Serena said sceptically. "These dresses! Let me tell you. I've been to a lot of stores today and none of them looked like this one or even matched the splendour of what you have here," Serena said still mesmerized.

"You're very kind… um… Miss?"

"Serena." She completed, extending her hand to shake the woman's.

"Have you found something you like?"

"Mmhm. I'd like to try the one at the window."

"Ah yes… Excellent choice. I'll go get one your size." With that, she hurried into the back room again.

Serena turned around and was surprised to see Mina with an armful of dresses. "Oh my God Mina! Are you serious!?"

"Sere please! Desperate times call for desperate measures! We need to find a dress here today!" With that, Mina locked herself in one of the dressing rooms with the first dress she looked at.

A few seconds later, Claire came back out with the beautiful dress from the window. It was dark green, but the material it was made of made it glisten against the light. It was strapless and the back looked like the lacing of a corset. Black sequins decorated the top and the bottom. The dress was simply gorgeous. "Please go ahead and try it," Claire said and turned to all the dresses lying on the sofa. "My… I really do hope you find something here…"

"I hope so too…" Serena replied. She smiled warmly at the lady before going into the dressing room.

"Sere! Are you done yet? I don't wanna come out alone!" Mina whined a few minutes later.

"Give me a minute… One second…" Soon after, Serena emerged from behind the door. Mina had merely opened her door and was standing rather awkwardly. "Wow Mina… you look stunning!" Serena exclaimed, not sure that that was the right word to describe her.

"Do I really? Because if I start walking right about now, I think I'll topple over," she said tiptoeing her way forward.

Serena realized what she meant. As much as the dress was gorgeous on her best friend, it was way too fitted around the thighs. She could barely hold herself straight. "Good thing you brought more!"

"And you should've! I don't really know what you saw in that dress Sere. You look like a zucchini," Mina said, eyeing her friend in horror.

Serena turned to look at the mirror. 'Oh my God… I do. The dress looked much better on the mannequin.'

Claire turned to look at both of them. For a second, the two girls thought that they were going to get screamed at for even thinking of trying anything in this store until the woman laughed. Mina and Serena exchanged looks and they both started laughing with Claire. They did after all look ridiculous.

--

"You know girls… I haven't had this much fun since… since… I don't even remember the last time I had fun! You girls are delightful!" Claire exclaimed smiling.

Serena and Mina were glad that they had met this woman. She had somehow gotten a new spark in her eye, one that wasn't there when they had walked in. It didn't change the fact that they went through a whole lot of dresses and still didn't find anything that suited them.

"I'm so tired… All these dresses are gorgeous Claire, but none of them seem to fit me the way I want them to!" Serena said from behind the closed fitting room door.

"So how do I look?" Mina said exasperated as she came out; she was so tired from taking the gowns off and putting another one on.

"Oh wow…" Claire said. "Serena you have to come see this… Mina's absolutely breathtaking."

Serena immediately popped out of her dressing room and gasped. "Oh my God Mins… you look stunning! And I mean it this time!"

Mina slowly turned around and took a look at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't recognize herself. The full-skirted navy blue dress made her look regal: the not-too-tight bodice and the exquisite fabric made her look perfect. She looked like she was taken out of a Queen Elizabeth movie, minus the hair and makeup, but the effect was definitely there. "Woah…" she breathed. "I have to thank the person who made this dress…"

"Well… she definitely likes the fact that someone appreciates her work…" Claire said, looking into Mina's eyes through the mirror.

Mina immediately understood. "You? You made this dress?" she asked more in awe than surprise.

"It's absolutely beautiful Claire! You have a gift!" Serena chimed in.

"Oh… it's just something I did a few years ago… when I used to be on Fifth Avenue…" Serena and Mina exchanged looks not quite understanding, so they let her continue. "I used to sell so many dresses… and make them too. I still have a couple of my dresses out on the floor, like that green you tried…" Serena blushed as she remembered how she looked like a vegetable. The dress was exquisite – just not on her. Claire continued. "But after that fire that happened on the top floor… I couldn't just stop my business and I thought that I couldn't let my customers down. Little that I knew that they'd let _me_ down… I thought that wherever I moved, they'd follow. Business was booming so I had to find somewhere quick and I started off here. Even if it's not that far, the buildings shade me. Sure there is the occasional passerby, but all my customers were rich and only had eyes for Fifth Avenue. From then on, I have been struggling with my business," she ended her story sadly. "I feel kind of cheap knowing that I wanted to use you girls to promote my store at the Shields Inc. party…"

"Oh no! Don't feel bad! Your dresses should be advertised on every billboard! There isn't a word that can describe how beautiful they are!" Serena upset about Claire's story.

Claire smiled and looked up at Serena. They were really nice girls, unlike her previous customers who were complete cows. It was refreshing to have these two girls to comfort her. As Serena smiled back, Claire noticed a resemblance to someone, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "Serena… have you ever been on TV? I feel like I should know you."

Serena looked at her curiously. "Me? On TV? Never!" she said incredulously.

"Sere! What are you talking about?! You HAVE been on TV! Although not willingly… You're dating Darien Shields! It's natural that you're all over Entertainment Weekly!" Mina shouted.

Claire's eyes shot open in amazement. "That's where I've seen you! You're that girl everyone's talking about! The blond beauty alongside Darien Shields! 'The girl who's changed him'!"

"Well, I wouldn't say that I've changed him… That side of him was in there all along… He just needed an… awakening," she babbled, clearly embarrassed.

"Told ya you were famous," Mina winked.

Claire felt a strong bond with these girls, as if they were her own daughters. She wanted to give them something to show how much she had appreciated the evening they had spent together. "Serena… I'd like to give you something… something quite special… I was saving it for the right person and… I think you're her," Claire said suddenly and quickly disappeared to the back. Serena looked quizzically at Mina who just lifted her shoulders in an 'I don't know' manner.

Claire swiftly came out from behind the door holding something that had the shape of a dress. The dress was covered in a vinyl bag so neither of them knew what it looked like. She handed it to Serena. "Please try it on. I poured my heart and soul into making it. And it would be an honour if you would wear it."

Serena was shocked by how precious this dress felt to Claire and was deeply touched by her kindness. She had given up on finding the perfect dress, but she would wear this one just for Claire, even it looked awful.

She picked it up, not knowing what to expect, and hurriedly closed the changing room door. She unzipped the black bag and she let out a small gasp. The dress was golden, but not the bright gold, more like a dark gold (**AN:** If anyone has seen that episode of Gossip Girl where Serena Van der Woodsen's wearing a golden dress for the cotillion… That's the dress I picture on Serena, except without the weird golden sequins around her boobs and with less ruffles). The fabric shimmered through the opening as the light glimmered over the intricate sequins and delicate beads that adorned the length of the dress. A matching pair of gloves was hanging on the hanger that came with the ensemble. The dress looked beautiful and she wondered if it would look the same on her.

Serena quickly undressed and slowly pulled out the gown. She slipped herself through: it was a perfect fit. She slipped on the gloves. As she put them on, she felt as if this was the perfect dress for her, as if this was _exactly_ what she had been searching for. But she decided to close her eyes just so that she wouldn't be disappointed; she'd let Mina and Claire decide if it was the perfect dress for her.

She got out of her stall and silently climbed up the pedestal, luckily she didn't trip. "So what do you think?" Serena asked, her eyes still shut.

Claire turned around. She had been cleaning off some dust that had remained on the hem of Mina's dress. Mina turned around as well; her hands clasped over her mouth in awe. Claire didn't need to do anything; she had already known that the dress would have such an affect. "It's bad, isn't it?" Serena asked, taking the silence from the two of them as an answer.

"Sere, open your eyes…" Mina said in a whisper.

Serena opened them. She slowly turned to her right to get a good look of herself. 'Oh… my…' she thought. She looked like a princess. If Mina looked like a queen, she looked like a goddess. The dress complimented her skin and her hair perfectly. The gold acted as a contrast against her blue eyes which only made them look brighter. She was barely recognizable. She was speechless.

"Serena! You look… I don't even know!" Mina said shocked by how good the dress looked on her best friend.

"How much… is it?" Serena asked still dazed.

"For you? Nothing," Claire replied.

Serena quickly turned around. "But I have to pay you something! You _made_ it. This dress is-"

"Perfect for you. Something like this should be priceless…" Claire smiled.

"But I can't!"

"Yes you can and you will! Same goes for you Mina!" Mina opened her mouth to protest but Claire put a finger up to stop her. "You girls are absolutely wonderful! I feel like God has blessed me with you… before I close down…"

Their eyes widened in shock. "You can't be serious? You're not thinking of closing?!" Mina cried out.

"I have about three weeks to close down. I didn't want to put up the signs. I want to go out with my dignity intact. I've made enough in my past life…" She looked up teary-eyed. "Don't worry about me. Worry about how gorgeous you'll look at the party!"

Serena and Mina hurried to her side and gave her a big hug. "I promise this won't be the end Claire…" Serena said. 'I promise I won't let all your work go to waste…'

"Thank you girls…" Claire said in a whisper.

--

"Alright girls… Take care of those dresses before the party!" Claire said as Serena and Mina walked out of the store. "Come back soon!"

"We will!" they replied in unison.

It was pretty late; they had stayed with Claire even passed closing time. They carried the heavy dresses back to the car. "So are you gonna show your dress to Darien?" Mina asked, as she got into the passenger's seat.

"No way! There's gotta be an element of surprise in our relationship!" Serena smiled.

"Isn't Seiya surprise enough?" Mina asked seriously now.

Serena looked at her best friend sternly. She knew that Seiya was a problem, but nothing that she or Darien couldn't overcome. Seiya would always have a place in her heart, a very minute and tiny piece. She would never be able to erase him, but… Darien had _her_, every inch and fiber in her being. And she knew that Darien felt the same.

--

Back at Darien's apartment…

"Hey baby. Where have you been? … Oh that's wonderful… I'm cooking dinner with Drew although he isn't exactly helping. When will you get back? … Okay, I'll be waiting. I love you," Darien said as she turned his home phone off.

Andrew looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?" Darien asked as he flipped over the cooking steak.

"Nothing… It's just weird to see you so… in love…" Andrew replied smirking.

"I can't help it… She's just so… incredible… She makes me wanna-"

"Okay. Stop right there. That's enough love talk," Andrew said pulling up a stool. "Have you talked about…?" Andrew said on a more serious note.

Darien knew what his best friend was referring to. "No… Not yet."

"There's only three weeks left Dare… what then?"

"To tell you the truth Drew… I don't know…" He paused. "It's just that everything has been so… perfect. If I tell her about-"

"If you tell her about it, you'll spare her half the pain!"

Darien turned to look at his friend. He knew he was right. He knew he was being very dense with this whole past issue. His situation just frustrated him so much and Andrew reminding him of it every two seconds wasn't helping. "Don't you know how this is affecting me?!" Darien yelled. "I've been beating myself up for it for years now! I KILLED a man! Only a monster could do that and that's what she'll think of me! She won't care about how I felt afterwards!"

"You don't know that!" Andrew replied.

Darien looked to see his friend Andrew sitting on the far edge of the stool. He decided to calm down. "It would kill her. She wouldn't be able to bear the pain… _again_. Every day I picture her face as I tell her the truth… I see the hurt in her eyes and I can't bear to see her that way. I know that maybe I should just break it off, but even that possibility… She would get hurt either way. If I could go back in time, I'd change my past, but that's impossible. If I had known that my father and Michelle would meddle in my life, I would've stopped myself from getting so close to Serena. Then again… I don't completely regret it. If it weren't for that night, I would've never moved here and I would ultimately have never met Serena… So… I'll take the path that'll keep us together longer."

"Wouldn't it be better if you stopped now? Besides, you'll have to leave her for Michelle…" Andrew said.

"It's too late now. I'm in love with her… And Michelle… I'll figure something out."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Dare…" Andrew said, as he got off the stool.

"Me too…"

They heard a door opening. "Hey guys!" Serena said happily. "Why so serious?" Her face was clearly ecstatic to see Darien. She stared into the eyes of the man she loved so much and noticed a kind of hurt lingering in the midst of his thoughts. Her face slowly changed expressions: did he know how she felt about Seiya? Darien finally smiled back. "Hey angel… did you have fun shopping?" he asked slipping the last steak onto the last plate.

Serena smiled in response, the alarms ringing in her head fading away. "I didn't spend a dollar!"

"Sere? Could you help me out please?" Mina said tiredly behind her. She was carrying dozens of bags. Andrew popped out beside Serena and Mina's face illuminated much like Serena's did at the sight of Darien. Mina immediately jumped into his arms and he caught her in one swift movement.

"Good to see you too!" Andrew said, his forehead against Mina's.

"How come I don't get hellos like that?" Darien asked Serena. Serena rolled her eyes. "So can I see the dress?" he asked mischievously.

"Nope… besides it's at my apartment. No peeking," Serena said putting a pea into her mouth.

"You're acting like it's a wedding dress…" Darien said, as he picked up two plates to bring to the table. Serena blushed at the thought. She did like how the idea of marrying Darien sounded. 'Don't be silly. It's too soon to think of that…' she thought.

Andrew swiftly turned around at the sound of 'wedding' and almost dropped Mina. He looked hardly at Darien to tell him that he wasn't helping his situation by putting ideas like that in Serena's head. "So if you two could stop sucking each other's faces for a second, we'd like to eat dinner now…" Darien said at the other couple, as Serena brought the other two plates.

They all sat down and ate their dinner while talking about how their day went, each of them keeping a secret of their own.

--

**Author's notes:** Yay! I'm finally done with this chapter! Sorry it took so long to write! Hope it pleased you! Now… I'm trying to figure out if I should put something in between the party or just jump forward in time to the Christmas party… Tell me what you think. It'll take some time to figure out, so please don't be mad if I don't post soon. Keep reviewing! xoxo


	12. Is the fight already over?

**Disclaimer:** Same as chapter 11…

**Author's notes:** Hello folks! I feel like it's been forever! Well… it kinda has... --' Anyhoo… I've been so busy these past few months and it's been hard to muster up some inspiration to write. But I found some! I know I promised someone (you know who you are) that I'd include the whole Christmas party in this chapter, but I just didn't have the flow to go with that idea. Also, I know some of you wanted me to start with the Xmas party and I'm really sorry to disappoint to you all! So… I came up with this little number and I hope it pleases all of you! I also noticed that I spend a whoooole lot of time editing myself (adding words, taking off paragraphs…). It's something I like doing. What can I say? I'm a wee little bit of a perfectionist, but just a bit o.O. So it's partially why I take sooo long to post things. Anyhoo, enough rambling and let's get on with the show!

**Chapter 12**

The TV was running in the back.

_Now for some excellent news! Darien Shields, himself, has told us that there will indeed be a Shields Inc. Christmas party. It seems like they've gotten back on their feet ever since Shields Inc. bought the community center. It will be held…_

The announcer trailed off. "I can't wait to plan this thing!" Mina said.

"If you want, we could go there tomorrow…" Andrew suggested, knowing that it would definitely please Mina.

"Eeee!" she exclaimed. "Serena you have to come! If you're not busy…" Mina said looking at Darien, knowing that he was still the boss.

"I'll check my schedule and get back to you. I have an important meeting in the morning and I might need her," he said, glancing sideways at his girlfriend. Mina pouted in return. "Alright… she can have the morning off. I'll join you guys after my meeting."

"YESSSS!" Mina shouted. They all chuckled while eating their dinner.

--

Mina arrived at Serena's apartment bright and early the next morning. She was going bonkers thinking about what the community center would look like and most importantly how she would decorate it. Serena had an earful of Mina's grandiose plans right up until they met Andrew who was waiting for them in his car. "Good morning ladies!" He said suavely leaning in for a kiss from Mina who proceeded in taking her seat at the front.

"Alright you two… break it up… we have a center to see. God knows Mina is dying to decorate it." Serena said in a playful tone.

"You are most right," replied Andrew, glancing at the mirror to see Serena. "Luckily, there isn't that much traffic." He put the car on drive and whizzed through the city streets until they arrived at their destination. The car screeched to a halt.

"Geez, Andrew, do you have to drive like a maniac?" Serena said. "I don't know how you do it Mina…" she said as she got out.

"C'mon, Serena… I've gotta have some sort of fun in this city." Andrew said as he smirked back.

"You must have a weird definition of fun if you consider almost killing five people and trying to keep breakfast down thrilling."

"I don't eat breakfast and the keyword is ALMOST." Andrew replied smirking.

"It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt right?" Serena said looking at him sideways, repressing a smile.

"Precisely, my dear Watson."

Andrew led the girls to the front of the center. Construction workers were already heading into it through the big double doors. They could hear the thump of hammers and the buzz of saws. The place was animated with noise and people. Who would have thought that Darien could get so many workers in such short notice? 'Well… money does talk…' thought Serena.

The girls headed in first. Their eyes widened in surprise as they saw how huge the hall really was. There was an enormous mess in the midst of it, but without any furniture in it, the place looked unbelievably huge.

Serena tried remembering what the place looked like before renovations had ever begun. She had come there as a teen whenever she was tired of the school library. She remembered the front desk being at the back before the huge wooden stairs. It needed to be there so that people who had or wanted subscriptions could gain access to what was behind it or on top of the stairs. The area in the back was what was called the recreation area: it contained a ping pong table, foosball table, chess… anything that was entertaining back in the day. It was still part of the hall but further away from the many couches that were laid on the walls closest to the doors, where people used to study. That section had looked like a really old library, minus the books and the pretty couches.

The top floor contained the gym area. There were a whole lot of machines in different rooms. All around the open section would be elliptical trainers, bikes and treadmills overlooking the lower area or the big open windows. The place was so huge it even had a running track that went around the balconied floor. There were two tennis courts outside and an indoor pool behind the recreation area. The basement contained a small conference hall for town meetings and such.

When you thought about it, it was a really nice setup. But, Serena remembered how the building looked so old. It was a wonder the place hadn't crumbled sooner. It never really had enough people coming in for subscriptions to the gym. There were mostly kids in the recreation room and a few for swimming lessons. But it didn't matter. What mattered most were the people who helped all those kids grow into who they are today. Darien had certainly done a good deed by buying the lot and the publicity it was getting would surely get more people to come.

"The place is amazing! I'll be able to do so much with this!" Mina exclaimed happily. She immediately took out a small notebook and started writing what seemed to be decoration ideas. Mina's eyes were shining with imagination; she had always had a knack for interior decorating.

While Mina was busy with the Christmas party, Serena decided to walk around. Wires were laid all over the place to power all the electrical machines so she had to be careful not to trip. People were mostly working on the floors and walls. Pieces of wallpaper were dangling in certain areas due to holes and cracks that wanted to remain hidden. 'Yeah… that wallpaper is definitely gonna have to go,' Serena thought as she gazed at the man pulling the bits and pieces of paper the color of a bizarre yellow. Others were patching up the holes in the floor by adding newer wood. The stairs looked like it was about to collapse. If it hadn't been for the carpet that hid the stairs' true nature all those years ago, she was sure that no one would ever want to set a toe on the first step. However, several people were on it, so it had to be pretty solid. She decided to venture up the stairs.

The construction workers all glanced at her while she climbed up the stairs. 'Thank God I'm not wearing a skirt,' she thought, exasperated. All the gym rooms were empty. She wondered where all the equipment was and if she should be wearing one of those heavy yellow work hats. You could never be too careful. She walked through all the rooms and finally decided to rest on the balcony's ramp. She still couldn't believe that a party would be held right where she was, in less than three weeks. It was beyond belief.

Serena looked down and saw Mina already giving orders to what looked like a very confused construction worker. Something about a chandelier… Serena rolled her eyes and decided to stop her best friend before she embarrassed herself. She leaned forward a bit more to catch Mina's attention. "Min-" **CRACK** "AHHHHH!"

Before she knew it, Serena found herself falling over the balcony ledge. She didn't know that the ramp wasn't as solid as it looked. The wood wasn't as hard as it used to be. All she heard before hitting the ground was Mina screaming and the sound of steps running towards her.

--

"Serena! Serena can you hear me?!"

It was a man's voice. Serena slowly opened her eyes. The light was hurting her. Why was it so bright? And why was everything so loud?

"Serena? Serena?!" It was a female voice this time.

"Ugh… could you keep it down Mina? I'm not deaf you know…" Serena uttered, shading her eyes from the light.

"Oh thank God! You still remember me!" Mina shouted with glee.

"Serena? Do you remember me? It's Seiya…"

Her eyes flew open. "Seiya? What the hell are you doing here?" Serena asked while sitting up.

"Well… that was a quick recovery…" he replied sarcastically, knowing very well that his presence upset her.

"I repeat. What the hell are you doing here?" Serena asked for the second time in an aggravated manner. She was annoyed by his presence. It brought feelings and emotions she didn't want to feel, like anger and… confusion? Not to mention a major headache.

Seiya sighed. "I was walking inside the community center to check out how things were progressing with the Christmas party and not even two seconds after I set my foot through the door, I see you flying off the railing, head first towards the floor. No one was moving. Everyone was in shock, so I reacted on instinct and ran as quickly as I could towards you. I couldn't just let you fall! I had to do something. So I… partially broke your fall. I came just in time to catch you." Seiya said.

For a second, Serena thought that he was crazy until she remembered how she wanted to call out to Mina. She blanked out after that. Serena looked at Mina. Mina nodded to tell her that it was true. "It looked like he was heading back to first base, but to get there in time he had to slide. He slid on his back so you still landed head first pretty hard, just not into the floor, more like his stomach…" Mina finished. "Oh Sere! I'm so sorry I didn't do anything! I was too far… I thought…" Mina began apologetically.

"Sshhhh…" Serena whispered. "I'm fine now… See?" Serena wiped off a tear that was trickling down Mina's cheek. It was only then that she noticed she was in a hospital bed. Serena's eyes softened as Mina calmed herself. "I suppose I owe you my life…" she said turning to Seiya.

"No need, Serena… Just you looking at me is enough."

Serena's eyes shifted to the covers on her bed. She needed to change the subject; it was getting uncomfortable. She noticed that Mina was alone beside her. "Where's Andrew?"

"Oh… he went to meet Darien downstairs. He should be here by now. I'll go get him."

Serena wanted to protest, but she was already out of the room. She didn't want to be stuck with Seiya: it meant being in another awkward situation. Seiya was standing at the foot of her bed, looking at her with those eyes of his. They always held a certain look when it came to her. They were so gentle… so…

"You know, Darien is making it quite easy for me," Seiya suddenly said, cutting Serena's thoughts off.

"Making what easy?" Serena asked quizzically.

"Have you already forgotten about my promise?" Serena remembered what Seiya had said the previous day. He said that he'd never give up on her. "Ah… so you do remember," he confirmed as he saw the change in her eyes. "I guess luck is on my side…" He was now approaching her slowly.

"And I'm supposed to believe that you just _happened_ to be there today?" Serena asked, gesturing with her hands. She didn't like where this was going, but it was like her brain didn't want her to move away. A part of her was glad that Seiya was the one who came to her rescue, but another part wished it was Darien instead.

"Well… Darien's secretary was more than lenient to give me his whereabouts for the day," he replied with a grin. "Wherever he goes, you follow. And wherever you go, I follow." He smiled at her. "It's such perfect timing. First, he wasn't there earlier, which gave me the perfect opportunity to be your knight in shining armor." Seiya moved closer to Serena. She was trapped on the bed. Her eyes were locked on his. It was like she was hypnotized. Something inside her ignited once again. Her heart was beating fast in her chest. "And even now, he still isn't here…" His head was leaning closer and closer to hers. "Luck is definitely on my side…" he whispered. Serena could feel his breath on her lips.

All of a sudden, Seiya was being pulled back. 'Serena get a hold of yourself! You weren't seriously thinking of kissing him were you?' Serena snapped out of her reverie as she saw that it was Darien who lifted him off the bed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Darien shouted as he shoved Seiya onto the nearest wall.

"Is that how you treat the one who saved your girlfriend's life?" Seiya retorted, smirking arrogantly in Darien's face.

"Oh don't get me wrong. I am eternally grateful that you were there at that precise moment, but my gratitude ends there. Don't play me for a fool, Seiya. I know what I saw!" he said the last part through clenched teeth, pulling Seiya's collar tighter.

"Then you also know that she didn't try to stop me either…" Seiya replied, still wearing that smirk.

"You son of a b-" Darien's fist was half way through the air.

"Darien NO!" Serena shouted. "Stop it! Both of you! I can't take this right now!" The room fell completely silent. No one noticed that Andrew and Mina had come back and were both staring. Serena couldn't stand the tension every time both Seiya and Darien were in the same room. It just brought back feelings she couldn't face. Correction: that's she didn't want to face. "Seiya, thank you for doing what you did but we, I, don't need you here anymore…" she said with an emphasis on the 'I'.

Darien's grip on Seiya's shirt loosened. Seiya shot Darien a triumphant glare and took one last look at Serena before walking out. There was something thick hanging in the air.

"Guys? Can you give us a minute?" Darien asked Andrew and Mina. They both looked at each other uncertainly before walking out and closing the door behind them. Darien took a deep breath. "What were you doing before I got here?" he asked sternly, his back towards Serena. His voice sounded different, harsh, but it wasn't jealousy.

Serena knew what he meant. He had seen Seiya leaning over her and she hadn't stopped him. "We weren't doing anything… It was nothing. I-" It came out as a blur, like she got caught by the police.

"It didn't look like nothing… And even if it was nothing, I didn't see you say no…"

Serena paused. Darien was right. What the hell was she doing earlier? Seiya's lips were so close to hers and she didn't do anything to object. What was she supposed to say to him? You're right Darien I was about to kiss your worst enemy? What was wrong with her? Would she have stopped him? "Darien… I… I… I don't know what to say…"

Darien's back was still facing Serena as his eyes shut in pain. "You don't have to say anything…" he said in a whisper. Serena's eyes widened in fear. Tears started to trickle down her face. So many emotions were going through her: hurt, confusion... She was angry with herself, angry for feeling something for Seiya, angry for keeping them hidden, angry that Darien put her in this situation. She sobbed silently. "You know Serena… I've been deluding myself into believing that you feel nothing for him. It certainly feels that way when it's just you and me. When he's not around, it's exactly like it should be. Everything falls into place. When he's not there, you're entirely mine: mind, heart and soul." He paused. "But it's a whole different story when he's in the same room as me… I… I can feel it, Serena. I can feel something pulling you towards him. I always feel like I have to fight my hardest to keep you by my side, that if I let my guard down for even a split second, you'll go running back to him. Some part of me keeps telling me that that's impossible, that you are mine. And I do believe it… most of the time. But there will always be a part of you that will still want him… maybe even love him…" He took a small breath. "Am I right, Serena? Do you…" He paused before he finished what seemed to be the most painful question he would ever have to ask. "Do you still… love him?"

Darien slowly turned around to finally look at her expression. The site he saw before him shot him through the heart. She looked just like she did all those months ago, the morning she told him about her past, after he brought her home from the club. What was he doing? He vowed to never hurt her, but he had to know. No. He already knew the answer, but he had to hear it from her.

Serena looked back at him. His eyes, there was so much fear and pain in them. He looked so vulnerable. Her mind repeated Darien's question over and over in her head. Did she love Seiya? It was now or never. Why did she have to be so stupid? She had tried suppressing what she knew was inevitable. She should have told him about her confusion, how she felt ever since Seiya came back… But it was too late now. "Darien… over these past few months, you made me want to love again. And I did love and still do. You know what you mean to me. You know what I feel for you is real. I-"

"I know that everything we've done, what we've felt, is real. I'm not questioning whether you love me or not, I know you love me. I'm asking you if you love him. I need to know if there's a part of you that still longs for him. I know you've told me that it's over between you two, but I can't help but feel some… spark come across you two whenever you're together. I just don't think that I can ignore it anymore…"

Serena gazed at him. She longed to hold him in his arms, but she felt like she didn't deserve it. She didn't know what to say. She knew she had all these feelings pent up inside her and they were eating her inside out. She knew Darien was right. Seiya's presence just revived what she had for him all those years ago. She had thought that they were gone. But they weren't there because Seiya wasn't there. She knew that a part of her would always be dedicated to Seiya, but was dedication the same as love? Did she LOVE Seiya? She had told Darien that she was all his, but did she really wash out Seiya from her mind? Her heart? She didn't know the answer. "Darien… I'm sorry… I don't… know…"

Darien's eyes shifted to the floor. "That's all I needed to hear…" He quickly turned around and sped out the door.

"Darien? DARIEN!" Serena screamed. Darien heard, but the pain he felt refused to let him go back.

--

Serena's heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. What had she done? She sat on her bed crying out Darien's name, but he wasn't coming back. Was he ever going to come back? The thought made her sob even harder. She never would've thought it would come down to this. How did this happen? Why did Seiya ever have to come back? Why did Seiya still make her feel for him? Why couldn't she just give Darien her whole heart?

--

Andrew and Mina had been waiting outside the door. They hadn't heard anything, but they knew that something was wrong.

Just then, Darien burst out of Serena's room. Serena's cries were heard. Darien was walking away fast. Andrew gave Mina an 'I'm gonna go see what's wrong' look and sped off. Mina quietly walked into Serena's room and was shocked to see her best friend crying her heart out.

"What happened?!" Mina exclaimed.

"Oh Mina! I screwed up! I screwed everything up! I didn't know what to say! I just sat here like an idiot! I love Darien, I do! But Seiya… I don't know anymore Mina! I just don't know!!" Serena blurted.

Mina hurried to her side. She hugged her best friend in her arms and caressed her hair. "Shhh… Sere… shhh… Everything's gonna be fine…"

"How can you say that Mina?! It's over… You saw Darien! He wasn't angry… He was more hurt than anything! I think it'd be more bearable if he shouted or screamed at me. But he was so hurt, Mina…" She paused as she remembered the pain she felt when she looked into his eyes. I'm so confused Mina… and now it's all over…" Serena was crying so hard, it was difficult to breathe.

"Don't say that… You two are meant for each other!"

"Darien doesn't seem to think so. Besides, he's right you know… I never really sorted out my feelings for Seiya. I just ignored them, kept them inside a drawer, whenever I was with Darien…" Serena grabbed a Kleenex from the bedside table.

"But you love Darien?"

"If there were a word stronger than that I'd say it… But that's not the problem… Seiya's the problem! It's like I need closure but not exactly… I don't know… I don't know how to deal with this right now… I was such a fool, Mina… such a fool…"

Mina just sat there, listening to her best friend's sobs, wishing that she could fix this.

--

"Darien! Dare wait!" Andrew screamed, running down the hallway.

Darien pressed the elevator button furiously. "What do you want, Drew?"

"What the hell happened in there?" he asked, panting.

"None of your business." His eyes flickered as the pain sank in.

"Dare, you do realize that Serena is bawling her eyes out in there! She needs you!"

"Needs me? Or Seiya?"

The elevator beeped as it arrived on the floor. They both walked in.

Andrew knew that Seiya was a touchy subject. He knew that Serena's relationship with Seiya was killing Darien inside. But he also knew that his best friend and Serena were meant to be together and he'd be damned if he didn't try to do anything to keep it that way. "Dare, whatever it is she feels for Seiya, it's nothing compared to what she feels for you."

"That's just it Drew. I don't want just part of her. I want her whole heart. I want her to feel what I feel towards her _wholeheartedly_. How is that fair to me, Drew? I don't love anyone else."

"That's easy for you to say. You've never actually loved someone before her, Dare. You can't deny that she's had a past with someone. Memories aren't that simple to erase. She LOVED the guy. You can't possibly expect her to be passive every time she sees him, especially with how they ended things." He paused as the elevators opened to let them through.

Darien walked away with quick strides. He remembered the look of pain she had when he had turned around. Was everything all over? Did he just end things with her? He thought about it for a moment. How could he love someone completely when that other person only gave him part of herself? It just wasn't right. She had to choose. Seiya or him. And it was obvious that Seiya would never leave her heart. She had made the choice without even saying it out loud.

"She's the first and probably the only girl that you'll ever love and you're letting her slip away." Andrew said to his best friend's back.

Darien stopped. Andrew was right. He was letting her go. Did he really want that? What was a life without Serena? But what was a life with Serena knowing that there would always be a piece of her that belonged to someone else? Why hadn't she told him sooner? He had loved her unconditionally and she… she still had feelings for someone else. But it was real… wasn't it? But how was it fair to him? 'How am I being fair to her though?' Darien thought. He knew he had his share of secrets, but the pain he felt right now was too great. He needed some time to think. He would never forget the scene he saw when he walked in to see her. Seiya leaning over her… their lips so close… What if next time he arrived too late? What if next time he couldn't stop it? No. He didn't want there to be a next time. There would be no next time.

Darien realized that he was just standing in the middle of the hall. People were starting to recognize him. He looked over his shoulder. Andrew hoped that Darien would come back, but as he looked at his best friend's pained expression, he knew his efforts were in vain. "I have to go, Drew. Tell Serena…" He wanted to say 'Tell her that I love her and I could care less about Seiya', but that would just be a lie… It hurt too much to know that she was still attached to someone else after all they've been through. "Tell Serena… I'm sorry…" With that, Darien walked away towards the exit.

--

Serena was released from the hospital later on that day. Everything still felt so unreal to her. Was it really over between her and Darien? Everything they shared, just memories? Andrew's return to her hospital room had confirmed it all.

She had cried so much. Mina didn't want to leave her until really late that night. They had watched old movies all evening, but Serena wasn't paying much attention. Sometimes Mina would turn to look at her best friend and would catch her gazing blankly at the wall, tears pouring down her face. She was sure Serena was trying to be quiet so that she wouldn't notice. She was looking at the wall that separated her apartment from Darien's. It was hard for Mina to leave her, but Serena insisted that she would be fine and that she needed some time alone.

Serena finally walked up the stairs to her bedroom. The huge stuffed animal she named Dari was staring at her with his puppy dog eyes. "Darien…" she sobbed, as she climbed into bed. She cried herself to sleep, wishing that the day was just a bad dream.

--

**DRING! DRING!**

Serena's telephone rang in her ears. 'What time is it?' she thought. She slept terribly that night for obvious reasons. Nightmares of yesterday's events had haunted her sleep. She glanced at her clock and saw that it was precisely 7 AM. She hurriedly picked up the phone. "Hello?" she said a little groggily.

"Hi, Miss Lawrence? This is Janice, Mr. Shields' secretary."

"Oh, good morning Janice. Is there something wrong?"

"No not at all. I just wanted to inform you that you will not be coming into the office today. You will be accompanying Mina in finding the necessities for the Christmas party and this is in effect until further notice."

"Does Mr. Shields know about this?" Serena asked.

"Yes he does. He personally asked me to call you and tell you."

So it wasn't a bad dream. They were through. Serena struggled to keep the tears from spilling over. "Th-thank you Janice. Have a nice day."

"You too, Miss Lawrence." With that, she hung up.

Serena desperately wanted to call the office and scream at Darien. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, that she needed him… But, she knew he wouldn't listen. It was her fault. Why did she have to feel so strongly about Seiya whenever he was around? Why couldn't she just leave Seiya in the past just like it was supposed to be?

Serena got up and hopped into the shower. The hot water soothed her skin and for a split second, it made her feel slightly better. She hurried and dressed. She didn't care what she put on today; there was no one to impress, unless she wanted to impress Mina. She hurried downstairs and caught Amy putting a leash on Blaze. "Good morning, Se-" Amy stopped abruptly as she saw Serena coming down the stairs. She looked like the walking dead. Her clothing wasn't right and most importantly her demeanor was depressing.

"Sere! What's wrong? You look awful!"

"Oh hi Ames… I didn't get much sleep…" Serena said, looking at the floor. She leaned against the closest wall. She was never really good at hiding the truth.

"Sere don't lie to me! Talk to me!" Amy pressed on.

"I… I don't wanna talk about it…" Serena had to once again fight the tears that were threatening to spill over.

Amy watched as her friend grieved silently. She knew when people needed to be left alone. She also had a hunch that Darien was behind this. There was only one other time when Serena had been like this and that person she had cried over all those years ago was back in her life. "Alright Sere… I'll take Blaze out then. Just know that I'm here for you." Amy smiled as she rubbed Serena's arm gently. She hurried out and hoped that Serena would be fine.

Serena heard the door of her apartment close. With that, she felt her knees become weak as she slid to the floor and let out the tears that so desperately wanted to be unleashed.

--

After Serena managed to stop the flow of tears, she called Mina. Mina had already known about Darien's arrangements. Boy he worked fast when he wanted to. It was clear that he was avoiding her. Serena couldn't blame him. Why would he want to see the woman he loves knowing she felt something for another man? But _she_ wanted to see the man _she _loved. Life was unfair, but she knew that she had to sort things out before seeing him again.

Mina had told Serena to pick her up at her apartment so that they could head down to Barney's. Serena didn't ask questions, she'd just do what was needed to get through the day.

--

Serena stopped in front of Mina's building. Luckily, Mina was already standing outside so she didn't have to go out of the car. She unlocked the doors to let her in.

"Morning Sere!" Mina said, trying to sound exceptionally cheery. She didn't want to ignore the fact that her best friend was heartbroken, but she had to try to liven up the atmosphere and make her forget about yesterday… just for a little while. She turned to look at Serena. "Holy crap! What are you wearing?!"

"Mina, there's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing…" She put the car on drive and headed for Barney's. She knew that the jeans she picked out clashed with the flashy pink top she hurriedly put on, but she could care less about what she looked like. She could zip up her jacket later on. She just wanted to get through the day, not thinking about what her heart longed for the most. There was only one way to make the hurt go away and it was the only way she knew how: she had to hide it, suppress it until it was as if it was never there.

"Sere… I know… I know that this whole Darien and Seiya thing is killing you right now… I know you're trying to hide it… and it's hurting me to see you like this. But you look like shit," Mina finished plainly.

Maybe it was how Mina said that last part or maybe it was just the lack of sleep, but Serena laughed. She laughed so loud, it scared Mina. But it also let Mina know that Serena wasn't completely gone, that she could go on without Darien at least for now. She knew that for the time being, it was what Serena needed. Mina smiled; she'd find a way to bring them back together.

--

By the time they got to Barney's, Serena felt slightly better. Mina always had that effect on her. She knew she would have to face her problems eventually, but she didn't want to burden her best friend. Today, she'd be the perfect shopping associate; she wouldn't walk around all day feeling depressed.

They walked into the department store. Mina had told her that she found these adorable glass look-alike chairs. Mina's theme for the party would have a Victorian feel. However, everything would be made out of glass or something of similar effect to make it feel like they were in some sort of ice palace. Serena seemed skeptical, yet she was confident that Mina could pull anything off.

Serena was about to head to the home department, when Mina suddenly grabbed her arm. "This way Serena!" (**AN:** I have never been to Barney's, so I have no idea where exactly things are. Forgive me if I get stuff wrong --')

Serena looked questioningly at her friend. "Um… the tables and stuff are that way Mins…" she said, her finger pointing at the opposite direction.

"Sorry, Sere… but that look is gonna have to go. I can't walk beside you and pretend no one here is looking at us. It's for your own good." She had a stern look on her face as she said this.

"Mina! I don't care what I look like! The only person that matters isn't here to see me, so what's the point?"

"The point is everyone around here is looking at us like we've been hanging around garbage cans all day. I just can't stand being humiliated when we both know we don't deserve this. Sere, please?"

Serena looked around her. Everyone WAS staring. She hadn't really noticed. 'Is my outfit that bad?' she thought. She noticed that she forgot to zip her jacket up. Two women, walking passed them, gave Serena 'The Scan'. They had both eyed her from head to toe and were now whispering in disapproval. 'Oh my God… it is that bad,' she said to herself. All of a sudden, Serena's girly genes kicked in. 'I told myself that today I'd be the perfect assistant for Mina! I promised myself I wouldn't mope around. The wardrobe's gonna have to go. What was I thinking going out in this?!' She turned to Mina who was waiting patiently. "Okay, lead the way!"

"Thank God!" Mina said exasperated. "I don't think we would've survived another five minutes in here with all those vipers looking at us like they do."

Serena smiled as she followed her friend to the women's department.

--

"Mina… You know what? I'm not sure I wanna pay this much for a dress. Besides, it is winter, if you hadn't noticed, and it's freakin' freezing out there," Serena said from inside the changing stall.

"Oh suck it up Sere! You've lived here all your life. Also, it's not like you're actually paying for it. We'll just put it on Seiya's tab, just like the other things…" Mina quickly stopped talking as she realized that she brought up what Serena was trying to forget. "Shit… Sere, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say his name! I-"

"Don't worry Mina. It was bound to come up at some point…" Serena exhaled heavily as all the thoughts she wanted to push away came rushing back. Thinking about Seiya meant thinking about yesterday, which meant thinking about Darien, which brought her back to thinking about the cause of her dilemma: Seiya. It was an endless cycle of thoughts. She needed something to get those thoughts out before she broke down in the changing rooms and met the eyes of more snooty onlookers. She turned and walked out of the stall. "How's this one look?" she asked Mina.

Mina looked at her. She knew that Serena was thinking about Seiya and Darien, but she decided on not talking about it. "I think that the dark blue one you tried on earlier looked way cuter on you," Mina said with a big smile.

As Serena stared into her friend's big blues, she silently thanked her for not pushing into the subject. She knew that Mina wouldn't take it to heart; it was a mutual understanding. That's what made them best friends after all.

--

"You want me to get boots too?!" Serena asked, looking at Mina as if she was crazy.

"Serena, those sneakers are so last month! You have a closet full of clothes and shoes, yet you managed to pick out the worst items in it! Also, those don't match the dress."

Serena knew that Mina was right, but she never was the extortionist type. She felt bad about using Seiya's money, but she knew he wouldn't mind. He'd buy her the moon if he could. Darien would probably buy her the whole universe though. Did she still want Seiya in her life? She couldn't answer right away, but she knew she needed _Darien_ in her life. She couldn't have both and she didn't necessarily want both. 'Ugh… I hate this. Why do I feel like I need BOTH of them? I don't even know why Seiya's so important! I should hate him for what he did to me, but I don't, not after his confession… It just changed everything… for the worst,' she thought. She hurriedly wiped off a tear that escaped before Mina saw it. 'Ok, enough of this…' She sighed. "I'll get some boots…" she told Mina softly.

--

"Did you find everything you were looking for?" the cashier asked. She gave 'The Scan' to Serena, but it was one of approval. Serena did look hot in her puff sleeved dark blue dress. It didn't show much cleavage, but Serena's legs were to die for and the dress' hem ended mid-thigh. Serena got knee-high dark brown suede boots to complement the blue.

"Yes, we did," Mina smiled radiantly at the cashier. Shopping was always a great pick-me up. She was clearly happy with Serena's purchase. "And the chairs I wanted will be delivered on the date I asked, right?"

"Yes m'am. You don't need to worry. We will give you a call the day before to confirm."

"Perfect, thank you!"

"Have a nice day!"

"You two!" the girls chimed in.

Serena turned around and she almost died. There was Seiya standing right in front of her. He seemed surprised to see her as well, but he quickly composed himself and approached both of the girls. Mina was looking at him with angered eyes.

"Hello, ladies! Fancy seeing you here!" he said.

Serena just looked at him in silence. She didn't know if she should slap him or not. Mina decided to speak up. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Can't you see she doesn't wanna see you?! Can't you see the pain you're causing her?"

"What do you mean?" Seiya asked sincerely.

Mina looked at him carefully. He was telling the truth: he didn't know about the break up. It just seemed to aggravate her more. "Serena and Darien are through because of the little stunt you pulled yesterday!" she shouted in his face.

He glanced at Serena. She was starting to get tears in her eyes. Suppressed thoughts of yesterday's events resurfaced. She had been trying so hard to forget, just for today. Just for today, she wanted to have fun with Mina. She knew the wounds were fresh, but she didn't want to spend the whole day crying like some silly little school girl. Seiya just _had_ to be there. She knew it was just a coincidence, but it was one too many. She hated him at that second. She hated him for everything and anything she could think of. Her eyes looked up and met his.

Seiya watched as Serena's eyes glistened with tears. He saw all the hurt in them. He also saw the hate. He never wanted to hurt Serena. And yes, he did still love her, but hurting her was an awful price to pay. It was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't recall a time where Serena would look at him with so much hatred. There would be times of annoyance and anger, at most, but never hate. He felt terrible inside of him. 'What have I done?' He knew that he could take advantage of her and that he would once again be at her side, but he also felt like he jeopardized his standing. As he kept looking in her eyes, he realized that what he was doing was wrong. "Serena, may I speak with you? Just for a minute?"

Serena realized that he was talking to her. She calmed herself down enough to give Mina a look that said she'd be fine. She waited as Mina moved away from hearing distance. "Are you gonna gloat now? Tell me that now that the competition's out of the way it'll be _easier_?" Serena said, trying to keep her voice at a normal level.

"Serena… I had no idea that it would have ended up this way! I never expected to win you back like this. Not when _you're _like this…"

Serena just looked at him. "You have no idea how much pain I'm in right now! And you're talking about winning me back?! The man I love doesn't want to speak to me anymore all because you decided to play knight and shining armor!"

Seiya's eyes turned to fury. "Would you have preferred bring dead?!"

Serena looked at Mina. It had stirred her best friend hearing Seiya's voice getting louder, but Serena just nodded to tell her it was okay. "Being without Darien made me realize what dead is…"

"Right. And I'm supposed to believe that the Darien who supposedly adores you and would do anything to keep you at his side just decided that because of one kiss, that did not happen might I add, he would up and go end things with you. Just like that! The only reason I could come up with as to why Darien would ever leave you is that somewhere deep down inside, you still feel something for me… " He gave Serena a small smirk which made her angry. "So don't blame me for something YOU caused. You drove him away. It's your own fault!"

Serena slapped him. The cashier saw this and was about to call security. Seiya nodded to her, telling her it wasn't necessary. Mina came rushing to her best friend's side. Serena was now in tears. She was boiling inside. She didn't like hearing the truth, but she knew he was right. If she didn't feel something for Seiya, this mess would never have happened.

Seiya realized that he went too far. His eyes softened. "I'm sorry… I know you don't want to be with me. Not right now… not when you're still head over heels for him." He paused. "Just know that you aren't the only one hurting in all this…" His hand moved to wipe away a few tears on her face. Just then, she knew it would come down to one of them in the end. He turned to head to the men's department. "I hope you make the right choice…" he said over his shoulder.

--

"You too, Miss Lawrence." Janice hung up the phone.

Darien had been standing right beside her. He heard the whole conversation. He had asked Janice to put it on speaker for him to hear. He couldn't see her, it hurt too much. Little did he know that the sound of her voice was equally painful to hear. Her voice had sounded almost normal at first, but later on she had struggled to keep it from breaking. To a normal audience, like Janice, it seemed fine, but to the ones who grieved, like him, it was torture. He desperately wanted to see Serena, but knew that it would just hurt him, more than it would her. He wanted to know why Seiya was ever present and why she couldn't just cut him out of her life. Seiya always found a way to sneak back under Serena's eyes.

Darien walked back to his office. He couldn't concentrate on his work. He was barely listening to Andrew. Andrew had never seen Darien in this state. He hadn't shaved that morning, which was a first. Also, Darien had accidentally worn pants that were a shade lighter than the jacket; he had mixed up his suit. 'At least, he still remembered how to put on a tie…' Andrew thought of his best friend.

"Dare, maybe you should take the day off…"

"I told you I'm fine, Drew," he replied solemnly, looking blankly at a stack of papers.

"You don't look fine to me. Have you seen yourself today? You barely remember how to dress!" Darien looked at Andrew. He was right. "During the whole morning, I felt like I was talking to a wall…" Andrew sighed as he put down the folder he was holding. "Listen, Dare… you should just take the day off. I'll handle the fort, no worries."

Darien did feel like shit, no question about it. He should just go home and stay in for the day. He needed to be alone. "You're absolutely right, Drew. It's just… Was I wrong?"

Andrew looked sadly at the head of Shields Inc. He knew he was hurting inside, he just didn't know that it was this bad. "No… I don't think that you were wrong, just… harsh…"

Darien looked down. 'Harsh…' he thought. It sounded just as bad as any other evil word. It was a word that described his former self, the Darien of the past. He felt like such a fool. How could he have been so ignorant to her feelings towards Seiya? He felt betrayed, angry… But, most importantly he felt alone and lost. Had he… lost her? Within five seconds, he had lost the one he loved. Within five seconds, he had walked away from her. He had to find a way to get her back, but was such a thing possible when the memories of her former lover were still very much alive?

Darien got up. "Keep me updated, Drew. You know where to reach me." Andrew tapped his friend lightly on the back as Darien headed out.

There had to be some way to get her to forget about him. They were meant to be together. Every time they were together it felt like nothing he ever felt before and he knew that it was the same for her. His mind flashed back to the time they were in central park. It then moved to the kiss they shared on the statue of liberty and finally to the nights they shared in each other's arms. Was he prepared to not have those moments with her anymore?

'I can't lose her like this… I made a promise,' he thought as he got out of the elevator. He'd make her see that Seiya was never meant to be there.

The only question was 'How?'

--

**Author's notes:** Well… I wanted to keep going on this one, but I wasn't sure if the events were uber important to know or not. Now I'm even more unsure if I should put the Christmas party on the next one 'cause I have so many ideas on what could happen in between! Anyways… will Darien find a way to woo Serena back into his arms after breaking up with her so harshly? Or will Serena give in to Seiya's kindness in this confusing moment? I hope we find out in the next chapter… PS. Please review or else I won't see the point in posting anymore... Thanks! xoxo


	13. Tis the season!

**Disclaimer:** Same as every other chapter.

**Author's notes:** Ok, first of… I am SO sorry!!! I know I haven't updated in forever and I know I made promises to people. FORGIVE ME!!! From now on I'm not going to make promises or say things that I can't keep, so bear with me as I trudge on to finish this fic. Also… This might seem a bit ignorant of me, but I just noticed that there are some parts from the story that are missing once I post the chapter up. What I mean is: for some reason, the characters I used to indicate the transition from one part to another disappear! And I have no idea why… maybe it's because some characters aren't supported or not allowed? I have no idea. So I apologize if some parts don't seem to connect. I will now indicate these transitions with "--" which seems to be okay to put.

I know it's been a while, so here's **what happened in** **Chapter 12**: The whole gang visits the community center. Serena falls off the second floor balcony, but Seiya catches her in time. She winds up at the hospital and has to confront Seiya. Darien walks in and finds Seiya almost liplocking with Serena. It drives him insane, to a point where he doesn't know how to deal. He leaves. Mina wants to cheer Serena up and forces her to go shopping. To their dismay, Seiya turns up. This causes more confusion within Serena. Darien realizes that he overreacted and knows that he has to win Serena back but doesn't know how. Without further ado…

**Chapter 13**

**DING!**

"Pent house, Mr. Shields," said James, the elevator boy of the building. Darien just gave him a small nod.

Darien walked towards his apartment. So many things were going through his head; it was almost unbearable. He felt empty for the first time in his life and it was his fault.

He paused for a small second as he stared at the door to _her_ apartment. He shook his head as if he could shake away the thoughts that had followed him for the past day. With quick strides, he arrived at the front of his apartment and rapidly swiped his key card. He hurried inside as if someone was pursuing him, almost as if he was trying to escape the pain that had appeared as he glanced at _her _door. He closed the door and leaned his head against it. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. Anger was building up inside him. He was tired of feeling helpless, tired of feeling disappointed. He was tired of trying. Yet, he knew he had to. But, did he still have chance? Didn't he screw everything up? Hadn't he lost her for good? How much longer must he feel this way?

"Arrrrrrrrrgh!" Darien raged, picking up the nearest object and throwing it on the farthest wall. The vase made a dent in the wall before shattering into several pieces. His breath was quick; his chest was rising and falling at a fast pace. His eyes held only fury until he realized that he threw the vase onto the wall adjacent to Serena's apartment. His glare became a gaze as he softened at her thought: her angelic smile, her innocent blue eyes… He unclenched his fists. Tears welled up in his eyes.

There were so many unanswered questions, so many regrets… 'She must hate me right now…' he thought as he struggled to keep the tears from falling. He desperately wanted to see her, but knew that it would hurt both of them. He sighed. 'I can't stay here. I'll go crazy.'

He quickly spun around and headed back out the door.

--

"Sere, what did he say?" Mina asked, concerned for her best friend. She was surprised that such a strong reaction could come out of Serena.

"…" Serena didn't reply. She wiped her wet cheeks with her hand. She was breathing heavily. She couldn't believe she slapped him. She didn't know if she felt relieved or regret. Then again, it felt like she didn't know anything anymore. She was so lost and confused.

They both watched Seiya's back as he walked away. "C'mon, Mina. Let's go," Serena said, as she walked out of the store. Mina quickly followed as she noticed a crowd was beginning to form.

"Sere! What happened in there? W-"

Serena was practically running down the street towards her car before she turned around, catching Mina off guard. "It was the same conversation again, okay Mina?! I feel like everything's been recorded and is just playing over and over again in my head! People keep telling me the truth about my life! The truth is I'm fucking messed up right now and I don't know what to do! And it's not just Darien and Seiya! I feel like everything I'm doing is out of place! I can't focus! My thoughts are all scrambled! Nothing makes sense anymore! I'm confused, angry… I feel like this has been going on for years!! But it's only been a day! A DAY MINA!!! A day without Darien and I'm acting like this!!! I'm just so tired of it!" Serena had now let the tears flow freely. She didn't care who watched. Let everyone see the pain she was in.

Mina hurriedly took her best friend in her arms. "Shhh… Sere… Let it all out… It's okay…"

Serena sobbed on Mina's shoulder for a few minutes. She felt slightly better. It felt like a tiny piece of the burden she was carrying was lifted off of her. It almost gave her hope about her situation. "I'm sorry I snapped at you at Mina…"

"That's what best friends are for," Mina said smiling into Serena's hair.

"I'm also sorry for…" She paused.

"For what, Sere?"

"For ruining your jacket…"

Mina quickly let Serena go and looked at her jacket's shoulder. It was completely soaked. Mina gave Serena a displeasing look. "Yup… that's what best friends are for all right…"

For the first time in what felt like years, Serena smiled, a true unforced smile.

--

Darien wandered the streets of New York with only one thing in mind: how to win Serena back. While he walked amongst the busy workers, he pondered on the many ways he could get rid of Seiya. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. His head was in a jumble; he just couldn't think straight. What was happening to him? He was never this lost. He always knew what to do and how. But now, now everything was a mess.

He walked passed a café where a TV was playing the local news. A picture of a man popped up with the headline 'Murderer in jail'. Darien's eyes flew open. He stopped. Images of his past resurfaced in his mind. How could he forget? All this time, he was being a hypocrite. How could he not remember his own secret? He quickly resumed walking. People in the café started to gawk at him.

He realized that he was being extremely selfish. 'Try to win Serena back? For what? To lose her again in the end?' he thought. He knew he was just trying to buy some more time with her. 'She'd hate me. She wouldn't look at me the same way… What's the use? I'll just hurt her. Again…'

As Darien stood at the corner, waiting for the traffic light to change, he watched an old couple across the street. The little old lady was tightening her husband's scarf, keeping him safe from the cold. He then pictured him and Serena, in their place, many years forward. He was waiting patiently as Serena, his wife, zipped up his jacket, smiling radiantly at him. Darien smiled at the thought.

"Excuse me," someone said, shoving passed him.

Darien snapped out of his daydream as he realized that the light was green. People were going around him, quickly crossing before the light turned red again. He followed the crowd.

Darien glanced at the old couple he was observing earlier. They seemed so happy. At that moment, he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Serena. He couldn't picture it any other way. 'I have to tell her the truth…' he thought, before speeding off once again.

--

"So where to now Mina?" Serena asked. They still needed supplies for the party.

"I'm not sure… I need to find curtain-like fabric and possibly a gigantic Christmas tree…" Mina answered, grabbing the floor plan from her purse.

"A tree?" Serena asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes a tree! You can't have a Christmas party without a Christmas tree! I was thinking about putting it here," Mina said, pointing at the plans.

"Let me see…" Serena said grabbing the large folded paper.

"Right there, where both staircases cross. It'll be in the center so when people walk in, they'll immediately see it, in all its glory," Mina said proudly.

"Oh, it's perfect Mins!" Serena exclaimed. She resumed analyzing the plan. She wasn't paying much attention to where she was going. She was too wrapped up in Mina's designs. The tables were drawn, the chairs were drawn… The material and colors were also written a bit everywhere. It was amazing to Serena how Mina could understand all these notes.

She kept walking, too amazed to concentrate on anything else, and bumped into something… or more like someone. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention…" Serena said from behind the map lookalike. She looked up.

"Serena…?"

"Greg?"

The man's face lit up. "I knew that only you could manage to be that klutzy!" He turned towards Mina who wasn't too far behind and who was equally happy to see him. Mina ran to give Greg a bear hug.

Serena scowled at Amy's husband. "Doesn't seem like you've changed much either…"

"Aw… Don't be like that Serena. I'm only in town for a few weeks. Now, come here and give me a hug." Greg worked in advertising for a gaming company and he had to travel to several locations to get things done.

Serena was glad to see one of her longest friends. She turned her frown upside down as she wrapped him in her arms.

--

'I have to find the right time to tell Serena… But how am I supposed to bring it up? Especially in these circumstances?' Darien thought.

He turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks. There she was. In the arms of another man. Darien's heart faltered. Was she already moving on? Or maybe it was the man who was taking advantage of Serena's situation. Even Mina seemed happy to see Serena in that guy's arms.

Darien started boiling inside. He walked swiftly towards where Serena was standing. She was still in his arms. 'A hug isn't supposed to last this long!' His rage was bottled up and ready to burst.

--

Serena was holding Greg in her arms. She had missed their little high school clique. Greg had always been the nerdy type and always had a crush on the new girl, which back then was Amy. She hadn't spoken to him in so long and she felt like this hug held everything she wanted to tell him. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see the man, who was trying to avoid her, right in front of her eyes.

"D-Darien! What are you doing here!?" Serena asked incredulous. She hadn't seen him coming. She quickly scrambled out of Greg's arms, leaving him confused.

"I saw you while I was turning the corner and decided to check up on the Christmas party preparations. So, who's your little friend?" he asked, eyeing Greg from head to toe. Serena noticed that he had said 'little friend' weirdly. She didn't like it.

"That's none of your business," she replied sternly. She then realized that she made their situation worse.

Darien frowned at Serena. Mina looked at them in silence. 'What are you doing, Sere? You're supposed to be patching things up!'

"Right, so not only do you have Seiya and me on a leash, now you've added this guy to your list! It's bad enough that there are already two of us in your heart." He paused to look into her eyes. There was so much hurt… but Darien couldn't stop his anger and his pain. "You know what the most hurtful part in all this is? It's that Seiya and I only have _one_ person in our hearts." Darien was now over angry. All he could think about was how much it hurt to see Serena act normally so soon.

Darien looked at Mina. She was pleading him to stay and fix this. He quickly turned around to ignore her and headed back the way he came from.

Serena's eyes were fixed on something in the distance. They were blank. The wounds that had been patching up had been ripped open again. Darien was right, but did he have to say it that way? Did he have to say it with so much venom?

Serena felt two heavy hands grip her shoulders. It was Greg. "Serena? What the hell just happened?"

Serena looked up into his eyes. He was clearly concerned for her, not to mention utterly confused. She was glad that Amy hadn't told him about her problems, but she didn't want to get into the whole story again. She couldn't let yet another friend bear her problems. Her eyes welled up. God she was such a screw up. Why do these things happen to her? "Greg… (_snif_) I know this'll seem selfish, but… I don't really want to talk about it… (_snif_)"

Greg looked sadly at his friend. He knew from Amy's reaction to talking about Serena that something terribly wrong was going on in her life. And he knew that it was probably just as bad, if not worse, as what had happened in high school. He knew back then that he wasn't concerned and he would use that same lesson now. He could only hope that she would be able to heal. "Serena… I won't push the subject further, but know that I'm always here for you." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and a final hug to both her and Mina, before walking away.

--

Darien walked away as fast as he could. How could he say such a cruel thing to her? The last thing he needed to do was push her further away. Now how was he going to tell her? It took all his willpower to stop him from bashing his head into the nearest brick wall.

He hadn't noticed that his cell phone was ringing. He quickly picked it up. "Hello!?" he barked into the phone.

"Darien, you idiot!"

"Who is this?" Darien asked confused.

"Mina!"

"Oh, right. Is there something else you wanted to tell me other than the fact that I'm an idiot? 'Cause I already knew that."

"Well apparently you haven't told yourself enough! That _guy_ Serena was hugging earlier. His name is Greg."

"I don't need to know the name of the guy Serena has the hots for, Mina."

"Darien! I swear the saying is true. Love blinds. You're a perfect example of it. Serena doesn't have the hots for anyone but YOU! Greg is a high school friend; we've known him forever. He's Amy's husband."

There was silence coming from Darien's end. God, he was an idiot. How could he jump to such a conclusion so quickly? And now he made everything worse… "But, why didn't she just tell me that when I asked her instead of giving me that answer?"

"God Darien… she's trying to hide the fact that she's hurting inside. You have no idea how many times she cried in public today, how many times her eyes would shift to pain when I talked to her… I admit that she shouldn't have said it that way… but can you really blame her? You've torn her to pieces… It's worse than what happened in high school…"

'Worse…' he thought. He was worse than Seiya. He had hurt her more than Seiya had hurt her. How could he do such a thing? Maybe she was better off with him after all… "She should go back to him…" he said softly into the phone.

"What? Darien you're not giving up now, are you? You can't! Y-"

Darien's mind was drawing into a blank. This whole thing had gone from bad to worse in just a day. 'Worse…' How did it come to this? How did he become the monster in this story? 'I can't tell her about my past anymore… it'll just make things impossible…'

Something was beeping on his phone. He had another line.

"Darien! If you give up now, it'll kill her! Please, Darien!" Mina was screaming and begging on the phone. She was waiting for Serena to come out of the bathroom. Serena had needed some time to clean up.

Darien didn't care anymore. "Mina… don't tell anything to Serena… I don't want her to feel any more pain than she already does…"

"I know you still love each other… I just don't understand why it's so hard for you to get back together," Mina said sniffling.

"I don't understand either Mina… I really don't. I'm so sorry…"

"Me too, Darien…" With that, she hung up and Darien was free to pick up the other line.

"Hello?" Darien said morosely.

"Woah, Dare! You don't sound too good." It was Andrew.

"Yeah… Tell me something new."

"Well… I got a meeting with that company you wanted us to merge with. They wanna meet with you first thing tomorrow morning. I just wanted to check up on you to see if you were up for it. I tried getting the meeting myself, but they refused unless it was with you."

"I'll do it," Darien said simply.

"You sure? I don't think your mind's in the right place… There are other companies on this list we could try-"

"I said I'd do it, Drew!"

Andrew stayed silent. Judging by the tone of Darien's voice, something was wrong. "What happened? You're not home are you…"

Darien sighed. He knew he couldn't hide the truth from his best friend. "I ran into Serena today. She was in some guy's arms. So, I kinda blew up in her face and rubbed the fact that Seiya and I are still here waiting for her to make a move. He turned out to be a long time friend."

"Damn, Dare… Serena's really got your panties in a bunch…"

Darien couldn't help but smile. Sometimes, you just had to to stay sane. "Point is Drew, I made things worse and I can't help but feel like Seiya could be the one for her… I've hurt her more within a day than Seiya has in God knows how long."

"Dare! You can't possibly be thinking about giving up! You're the one for her."

"You sound like Mina…" He paused. "If I'm really the one, why the hell doesn't it feel like it?"

"No one ever said that being the one was easy…"

Darien heard his phone beeping. No one had ever bothered him this much in such little time. "Listen, Drew, I'm getting another call. I'll catch up with you later."

"Sure, later." With that, he hung up.

"Hello?"

"Why hello, Darien… Long time no talk…"

Darien immediately knew who he was talking to. That purring voice, the way she said hello… "Michelle… how are you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice at a level that didn't sound annoyed.

"Not so good, honey… You see, I heard that you were throwing a party and I was beginning to worry about our relationship. I'm always you're date to the Christmas party," she said this with an innocent tone in her voice. It sounded horribly fake.

Michelle aggravated Darien. She was like an itch that was impossible to scratch away. Her knowing about his past didn't make it easier for him either. He just wanted her to get off his case. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? He knew the answer, but it was all he wanted right now. "Listen Michelle… I was thinking of going solo this year."

"Oh?" 'Solo huh…' Michelle thought. 'Being with that blond bimbo doesn't seem very solo to me…'

"Yea… I need to create a new image to the world. Start anew. Show them that I can be responsible… You know how the media is." Darien was clearly trying to butter the situation up.

"Darien… you do remember that little promise you made me all those years ago, don't you?" she asked deviously. "You're dad was kind enough to fill me in on our engagement. Do you know on what day it falls?" Darien's eyes widened in surprise. It couldn't be. "That's right, love. The day of your party. I find it only fair that we flaunt our engagement to the world on the same night don't you think?"

Darien gulped in fear. He hadn't realized that it was on that same day. Why wasn't he paying attention to these things? "Michelle… I know I promised you and my father. But, this party is more than just a show to the world. It's much more than that… I need to get the company back on track on every aspect. If I do what you ask of me, it'll ruin my credibility. I can't have the title 'Surprise engagement' splurged on every paper. Please…" He was hoping that that last bit worked.

Michelle thought about it. She didn't want to ruin Darien's career. She wanted to be a wealthy wife after all. What was an extra day of waiting anyway? They were going to end up together no matter what. Darien couldn't change that. Or that blond bimbo. "Alright. The day after the party, you're mine, Darien Shields. All. Mine. I'll be waiting," she said in an annoyingly sweet tone. All she needed was an evil cackle.

Darien released his grip off of his phone. Without knowing it, he had held his cell pretty hard. His fingers were all cramped up. Michelle was such a manipulative bitch. He had to find a way out of this marriage and fast.

--

A couple of weeks later…

"Wish me luck, Drew," Darien said to his best friend, while they both fixed their bow ties.

"You don't need luck."

Darien gave Andrew a sideways glance. "You don't need it 'cause this plan is foolproof," Andrew answered. "I know this'll win her heart."

"I hope you're right," Darien said before sighing.

--

"Serena! Hurry up! We're already 20 minutes late!" Mina screamed from the bottom of the stairs. It was the day she had been waiting for and if it weren't for what happened about a month ago, Serena would be jumping for joy alongside her. Mina was all dressed up and ready to go to the Shields Inc. Christmas party. Serena was upstairs in her room, still getting ready.

"Mina! I can't go!" Serena wailed from her bedroom.

"Serena, we've talked about this. You have got to prove to Darien that you still care for him. You have to make him regret abandoning you so quickly. You have to let him know that YOU regret what you did to him."

"If he still cares so much for me why hasn't he called me these past few weeks?"

Mina didn't know. Every time she'd ask Andrew, he'd tell her that Darien just needed some space. He needed time to set his mind straight. Of course, Mina couldn't tell Serena all this. It wasn't her secret to tell. Darien needed to tell her face to face and tonight was the night. "Serena, he hasn't called you for the same reasons you haven't called him."

There was silence coming from the bedroom. Mina was right. Why should Darien be the one to make the effort? She was the one who was supposed to make a decision in the end, not him. She still hasn't done anything to prove that Darien was the one from the beginning. She knew why though. She was scared, scared that even if they went back to the way things were, it would all disappear again because of what had happened. Then it would be all her fault again. She couldn't bear hurting him another time like she did. She knew what pain felt like and feeling it twice ruins you. You become empty, much like how she was feeling these past few weeks. She had thought she was feeling better, until today.

"Sere, you have to be there! This night means so much to me. If you don't want to go for him, go for me."

Serena looked at herself in the mirror. Darien didn't have to be the reason she went to the party. Mina came first. She was there to support Mina's debut in the interior decorating business. It was as much her night as Darien's. 'Why am I so nervous?' she thought. She sighed. "Alright… I'm coming down!"

Two seconds later, Serena waltzed out of her room looking like royalty. Her hair was done in curls and brought up on the back of her head with bobby pins. It looked much like a ponytail but it wasn't. A few tendrils of hair framed her face. All this, courtesy of Mina. Delicate jewelry adorned her wrist, neck and ears. Mina's jaw dropped. "Serena, I thought you were gorgeous the first time you tried the dress, but now! Now there are no words for the way you look right now."

"You don't think it's too much? I feel like an overdressed Barbie doll," Serena said while going down the stairs.

"Sere, it's perfect. Besides, no one said Barbie was ugly."

"You're just saying that."

"Do I ever just say things? Darien won't be able to resist you."

"There you go saying things again…" Mina looked disapprovingly at Serena. Serena grabbed her cell phone. It was seven thirty. "Mina, aren't they going to introduce you soon?"

Mina glanced at clock on the wall. "Oh shit! If we don't make it in half an hour I'm going to miss my own debut!"

Darien had insisted that Mina got a special presentation at the party, sort of like a special guest. He said that she deserved it for all her hard work. He told her it would be great publicity for her and that she would walk out of the party with job offers galore. It was vital that she get there soon. "I hope the driver doesn't mind road raging there! C'mon!" Mina said grabbing Serena's hand and their coats, as she hurried towards the door.

Serena's heart quickly skipped a beat. She couldn't do this. She just couldn't. She couldn't face him, not yet. Thoughts were racing frantically in her head. "Mina, I can't go!" she shouted, as she fell to the floor. Her hands lifted to cover her face. She sobbed silently.

This was something Mina hadn't expected. Serena seemed like she was doing fine these past few weeks. Clearly, something was still hurting inside her. "I thought I could face this… You should just go Mina… I don't want you to miss your speech because of me."

"You need me more than those people…" Mina said, as she bent down to caress Serena's hair. "There, there…"

"Mina, I can't go… I just can't…" she said the last part with a whisper. "I don't care if you think I'm a chicken or that I'm stupid… I don't care. There's just so much that I haven't resolved yet."

"I know, Sere, but you can't just stay cooped up in here." She paused. "Sere… Don't you want to see his face again? Hear his voice?" Mina said softly.

"Of course, Mins… I've been thinking about the day I'd see him again ever since we last saw each other. But I can't see him like this. I just don't know how I can face him…"

"Serena, you're eventually gonna have to see him-"

"I know, but I just can't!" Serena said, exploding in Mina's face.

Mina frowned. She wasn't angry at her best friend, just frustrated. "Fine, Sere. But you're right you know. You are a chicken or even stupid to stay in here. I'm tired of you telling me about how YOU feel. How do you know Darien isn't looking forward to tonight? How do you know how Darien feels about all this? Not being there will only make things worse." Mina got up and got her coat. She looked back before opening the door to leave.

--

"The place is gorgeously decorated, Mr. Shields!" someone said to Darien. For the past half hour, he had been shaking the hands of people who worked for him. He didn't know that there were so many. 'I'm about to do my speech… Where are they?' He spotted Andrew on the other side of the room.

Darien made his way over to his best friend. Andrew was talking to a couple of men in expensive suits. "Excuse me gentlemen, but I must have a word with my associate."

"Of course, take your time, Mr. Shields," said one of the men.

The heads of Shields Inc. moved away. "Have you seen Mina?" Darien asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing. I've tried her cell and Serena's home phone, but no one's picking up. I'm assuming they're on their way. They are 40 minutes late though…" Andrew knew that even though Mina's whereabouts were worrying Darien, what worried him most was Serena. If he knew where Mina was, he'd know where Serena was. He glanced at his dark haired friend. Andrew knew that Darien was going to win her back tonight. Darien was nervous, the kind of nervous you hated to feel. For the moment, all they could do was wait.

--

"Can't you drive any faster?!" Mina asked the driver. The driver shot her a glare through the rearview mirror. Darien had rented a humongous car so that the girl's dresses would be able to fit and so that they would be able to somewhat move. "What's the point of renting a luxurious car when no one's even going to see us come out of it?" Mina said mostly to herself than anyone else.

Part of her was frustrated by the fact that she was extremely late, but another part was frustrated at Serena. She didn't know what it felt like to be in love, so she had no idea what it was like to be heartbroken. Maybe it just wasn't her place to talk. She had been dating Andrew for months, but she wasn't sure if she was in love. She had always been the frivolous type, the type of girl who would date guys for kicks, not because she really wanted a relationship. So, maybe she was missing out on something, something that needed experience in a real relationship. But that still couldn't explain why Serena was hiding, could it? Why was Serena hiding? What was she so scared of? She knew that Serena still loved Darien and that Seiya was just a mere thought, but why wasn't she acting out? Was it that hard to choose?

--

"Dare, we're running an hour late. The guests are starting to get shifty and I'M starving. You should at least give out your welcome speech," Andrew said, glancing sideways at his best friend. Darien didn't seem like he was listening. "Darien… Maybe she's not coming," continued Andrew carefully.

Darien scanned the room one last time in search for the only person he actually wanted there. His eyes rested on the front doors. A blond head popped out from behind it. Darien's heart raced as the girl gave her coat to the doorman for coat check. She turned around and Darien's eyes fell to the floor.

Darien looked back up and Mina stared back. She saw the disappointment, but most importantly the hurt he felt underneath the façade he was giving everyone else. She nodded her head from side to side as if to say 'She's not here'. Darien smiled back to acknowledge that fact. He turned to his best friend. "Andrew, let's start." Darien made his way to the podium. Mina quickly made her way to the front, knowing that it would soon be her turn to speak. "I'm sorry Darien," she said softly, as she arrived at the front. "I tried…"

"I've got no one to blame but myself," Darien replied, smiling sadly. He turned to the awaiting crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Shields Inc. Christmas party!" Darien said from the middle of the staircase. All eyes were on him. Everyone was smiling and clapping. "First of all, there are many people who I'd like to thank for making this night such a success. At first, I thought buying the community center would be a huge mistake. But someone proved to me that it wasn't." His thoughts immediately drifted to Serena. "And she was right. Look at how it turned out to be." He smiled as he pictured her in his mind. "Sadly, she couldn't be here tonight…" He paused as flashbacks of recent events raced through his mind.

"Ahem…" coughed Andrew to bring Darien out of his thoughts.

"Right… Secondly, a great number of people helped rebuild this place. As you can see, the decorations, the tables, the couches, everything you see in this room is all thanks to one very important person. She not only proved that Shields Inc. could change, but she also made me realize a few things about myself." Darien looked at Mina. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mina Woods!" The crowd applauded, amazed by the fact that such a young woman was behind the center's success. Mina proceeded with her speech by explaining the changes that were made and the future plans that were in the works.

Darien was barely listening. He was always good at that. He used to do it in meetings but back then it was out of boredom. Now all he could think about was Serena. Why hadn't she come? Was he really that unbearable? He hated all these unanswered questions which seemed to occupy his mind a lot more these days. What bothered him the most was that he planned to tell her about his past tonight and she was nowhere to be seen. It was also the last time he would be able to tell her. If he didn't, he was doomed to marry the most conniving woman on earth. A lot would be at stake, but he didn't care. Nothing his future held could make him feel worse than how he had been feeling these past few days. He didn't need the company or his dad or even money to feel happy. All he needed was Serena.

The flash of a camera brought him back to reality. It seemed like it was going to be a long night.

--

The dinner was quite delicious, or so Andrew said. Everything was made beforehand and kept warm, since the community center didn't have an adequate kitchen fit to cook for a large group of people. To Darien, nothing really mattered. 'She's not coming… I should've told her sooner,' Darien thought to himself with hatred. Everything around him was a buzz. He remained polite to his guests and the few photographers that were allowed in the building, but Andrew knew what he was thinking about.

After dinner, the tables were quickly moved aside to reveal the dance floor and the dancing started. It looked beautiful. Everyone was dressed in ballroom attire and looked at from the second floor it looked like a scene out of a movie. Mina and Andrew were definitely enjoying themselves. Andrew had always been an excellent dancer and even if Mina wasn't an expert, she looked flawless. The song quickly changed to something more slow-paced and the lovebirds were out of breath, having danced for quite some time. Darien was watching them from above. Mina spotted him and made her way up the stairs. "You know… I've never seen you dance," she said with a grin.

Darien sighed. "I'm not really in the mood to dance…" How could he possibly be thinking of dancing when he had tomorrow to think about?

Mina knew she had to get Darien out of this trance he was in. "Oh c'mon Darien. More than half the people here are waiting for you to take a beautiful lady on the dance floor. They're just eager for drama."

"Is that supposed to incite me to dance?" Darien asked in a sarcastic tone. He was almost smiling now.

"At least dance with me. You have nothing to fear because I'll make you look like an excellent dancer. I totally suck at dancing."

"I beg to differ! You looked great with Andrew. If anything, you'll make _me_ look like the loser!"

Mina saw his mood change: he was happier now. "Let's see who's right then, shall we?"

Darien looked at her and took her hand, while bending down to kiss it. He laughed. One dance wouldn't hurt; it was all good fun. "Shall we have this dance?"

"Of course," Mina said.

They made their way to the dance floor as a classical piece started. Darien took Mina and brought her around the dance floor. Darien felt that Mina couldn't quite keep up, but that didn't matter, they were both having fun. Besides, she was hiding her two left feet pretty well. The song ended and they were both smiling.

"I told you you were the better dancer! I'm a fake," Mina scowled.

"No, you weren't THAT bad," he replied smirking. They made their way to Andrew who was waiting beside that refreshments table.

"So that's what you've been doing all this time Dare: stealing my girlfriend," Andrew said jokingly, grabbing Mina by the waist and kissing her forehead.

"Now why would I want a girl who can't dance?"

"Because… the only girl you want… is standing behind you and she can't dance," Mina said, slightly shocked.

Darien's heart stopped. Was she joking? It didn't look like she was. He slowly turned around, afraid that who he hoped she was talking about would disappear. He finally looked back and there she was, a few feet away from him. Darien's eyes widened as he saw how beautiful she looked in that instant. She was a goddess, even that wasn't enough to describe her. What overwhelmed him the most though was the fact that she came. Serena caught Darien looking at her and it was as if all time stopped. Their eyes were intensely locked onto each other's as if nothing could break the bond that their gaze held.

"What are you waiting for?!" Mina whispered loudly as she pushed him closer to Serena. Apparently, something COULD break the bond.

"Hi…" Serena said softly as Darien came close.

"Hi…" Darien said, still mesmerized by her beauty and her eyes that shone brilliantly. 'This is ridiculous, I feel like I'm in high school trying to ask the most popular girl in school to dance…' Darien thought. Much was needed to say, but he didn't want to break the moment and he didn't think that she did either. He would tell her all about his problems later. As with Mina, he gently grabbed her hand and gave a soft lingering kiss. Even though she was wearing satin gloves, the touch of his lips sent tingles flying up her spine. "May I have this dance?" he asked her.

"Mmhm… but I'm not very good at it," Serena said sheepishly.

"You can't possibly be worse than Mina," Darien smirked.

"I like to think I'm not," Serena replied, smiling shyly.

It was almost like everything was back to normal, as it should be. A slow song began. The crowd seemed to move away, awed by how amazing Darien looked with this girl. It didn't matter to them though. To them, they were the only ones that existed.

"You look very beautiful tonight Serena…" Darien said into her ear. Serena blushed at the compliment. She was barely thinking straight. It amazed her that she actually made it here. She had Mina to thank for that. How could she have been so selfish? Always thinking about herself. It was time she put her feelings aside and gave Darien a chance to explain _his_ feelings. Darien was what mattered to her and she couldn't keep hurting him this way. She had to tell him that nothing else mattered, not Seiya, nothing. She wanted to tell him that she wanted to be with him forever. Tonight would be the night where everything would change.

The song came to a stop and they were still swaying in each other's arms. The whole room resumed dancing as the next song began. Serena, first to notice a change in the room, shifted in Darien's arms to look up at his face. Darien's hand moved up to cup her cheek. "Serena, I have so much to say, to explain…" he said looking deeply in her eyes.

"I know… I have so much to say too…" Serena replied. "I have to go find Mina first."

"It can't wait 'til tomorrow," Darien said hastily. Serena looked at him, puzzled by the quickness of his last reply. "We can't talk here though. It's… It's too crowded," he continued. Darien's heart began to race. Was he really going to do this? Was he finally going to tell her the whole truth? He wasn't sure he had the strength, but he knew that he had to do it. She had the right to know.

Serena felt slightly alarmed by the tone of his voice, but she couldn't figure out why. 'Why is he so nervous?' she thought. "Is there someplace here where we could talk?"

Darien thought about it for a moment, trying to remember the location of an office. "Hm… I think there's an office at the back. Meet me there after you're done with Mina."

"I won't be long. I promise," Serena said, walking away.

"Serena, wait." Darien softly grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him, closing his lips over hers. He couldn't describe what it felt like to be able to finally hold her like this, to be able to touch his lips to hers. To him, this could be the last time he would be able to do so. Who knew what she would think of him after he told her the secret that started this whole mess. His hand moved up to her cheek. Her hand instinctively cupped his. There was so much going into the kiss that it shocked Serena. There was so much need, so much want. It was almost as if Darien was trying to put everything he wanted to say to her in that one kiss. He slowly pulled away. He was as breathless as she was. "I'll be waiting," Darien said coarsely, before walking away.

Serena touched her fingers to her lips, still dazed from the energy of the kiss. She hurried to Mina.

--

Darien arrived at the back room. He was about to open the door when he noticed that it was already slightly open. Was someone already in there?

Darien slowly pushed the door further away, enough so that he could see if anyone was in the room. It was still hard to see, since only the moonlight shone through the windows. He didn't notice any movement. He decided to walk in. He turned on the light on the desk.

"Finally… A moment alone with you," said a voice coming from behind him.

"I should've known you couldn't take no for an answer," Darien replied coldly.

"Now, now, Darien… Is that a way to speak to your wife?" Michelle said, smiling deviously. She moved from behind the door, revealing her skimpy attire.

"We're not hitched yet, so don't get your hopes up," Darien said angrily, turning around to face her. "The invitation said _formal_ attire. Oh wait… You weren't invited."

Michelle fumed. "Don't forget our deal, Darien."

"Right, the deal. You know what, Michelle? The deal's off. I don't care anymore! After tonight, neither you nor my father will have a hold on me. I'm planning on telling Serena the whole story," he said defiantly.

"Oh really? What if I told you that right here on my cell phone, I have her number," she said sure of herself.

"You know Michelle, I'm getting pretty tired of your stupid childish games."

Michelle frowned. "I just might tell her everything myself. MY version. Wouldn't that be just dandy?"

"And why would she believe you?" Darien scoffed.

"There's no reason she wouldn't. I would tell her all about how you forced me into being your future wife just to hide the fact that you killed an innocent man."

"You know damn well that man wasn't innocent!" Darien said raging. He took a moment to calm himself. "She wouldn't believe you…" Darien said unsure. 'Wouldn't she?' he thought.

"You don't sound too sure…" she said, moving closer to him. "You know you can't prove it. It's my word against yours Darien. Your father is the only other person who knows and you know very well which side he'll choose: aside from you, the only other thing he cares about is your precious company. Oh, there's of course of your mother. We both know how important it is that your mess remains a secret."

Darien knew that what Michelle was saying was true. He would be alone in defending himself. He had to tell Serena first. She had to hear it from his mouth first. If Michelle told her before he did, everything would be lost: Serena would call his father to double check and in the end, she would think he was a manipulative liar and would never be him. No, he couldn't let his future play out this way. He had to stall, make Michelle believe that he was going to choose her. It would give him enough time to tell Serena before the night ended and tomorrow, he would call a press conference and denounce his past to the world and face the consequences. "You're… right Michelle, absolutely right."

Michelle looked at him with surprise. "Of c-course I'm right!"

Darien moved closer to her. "I was deluding myself into thinking that my relationship with that girl could work. But I know we're destined to be together. All these years, I've always found my way back to you." Michelle stayed quiet, slightly shocked by his change in tone. He moved closer. "I guess I was bored with all these rich girls and she was a new challenge. She was different. But you always came back to me when I needed you. Just like I need you tonight…" Darien was so close to her now that their lips we're almost touching. "I do… still… love you…" he whispered before leaning in for a kiss.

--

Serena was smiling as she made her way to the back. She knew she had to hurry. She was still dazed by all that had happened during the last 20 minutes. She neared what seemed to be an office. She touched her lips remembering the kiss they shared. She couldn't wait to tell Darien that he was the one for her, once and for all.

As, Serena neared the room, she heard voices. Serena didn't expect to hear Darien talking to someone. She slowly crept up to the slightly opened door and couldn't help but listen. "I was deluding myself into thinking that my relationship with her could work. But I know we're destined to be together. All these years, I've always found my way back to you. I guess I was bored with all these rich girls and she was a new challenge. She was different. But you always came back to me when I needed you. Just like I need you tonight… I do… still… love you…"

Serena's heart stopped. Tears welled up in her eyes and before she knew it, they were falling over her cheeks. She pushed the door open. "So that's what you wanted to tell me, Darien?!" she cried.

Darien's eyes shot up as he pushed away from Michelle. "Serena, I can explain!"

"You can explain?!" Serena cried out. "I'm done with explanations! I'm just another pawn on your chessboard of conquests, aren't I?! I can't believe I was so stupid! Of course it was all a game! I fell for it again. AGAIN!" Serena shouted. She ran out to the hallway.

"Serena! It's not what it looks like!" he said, following her.

"I think I know what it looked like!" she said as she turned furiously. People from the party were beginning to turn their heads at the commotion. Michelle had also made her way out into the hall. She watched as Serena poured her feelings out. "You know what really hurts, Darien?" she asked in between sobs. "I loved you Darien! I LOVED you! I STILL do, even at this moment, even after what you said back there. That's the part that hurts. I don't think I can ever love another and the only one I love doesn't love me back," she said and turned to run out into the crowd.

"Serenaaaaaaaaaa!!!" Darien screamed before he ran after her.

Serena ran passed Mina and Andrew. "Sere, what happened? Sere!!!" Mina tried asking.

"Serena, please! Let me explain!" Darien said behind her.

Serena turned abruptly. "Fine, Darien! Go ahead! Explain why you broke my heart!" she said as she wiped one eye with one hand. The music stopped. Everyone in the room was watching what was happening. "Explain to me why I found you in that room telling _her_ you loved her!"

Darien remained quiet. Serena's heart thudded at the thought that maybe what she saw did have a good explanation behind it and that she was in fact overreacting. Darien saw the urgency of the situation, but he couldn't say it in front of all these people. It wasn't how he wanted to tell Serena. It wasn't the appropriate time. "I can't… not here!"

"You can't…" Serena laughed bitterly. "You can't! Oh my God Darien! You wanted to explain and yet you can't! As far as I know, everything I saw back there was true! I can't do this right now…" She quickly turned and ran for the doors. Serena sobbed loudly as she pushed through the people around her. 'How could I have been so stupid? How could I have believed him?' she thought. Her heart felt like it was literally shattering into pieces. She hadn't felt such pain since that faithful day in high school. She couldn't believe she fell for it again. 'It was all a lie…'

She opened the big front doors of the community center and fled through the snow. She didn't get her coat, but the cold didn't affect her; she couldn't feel anything but the pain in her heart.

"Serena, wait!"

It was Darien. She didn't want to talk to him. She never wanted to see him ever again. He didn't deserve to talk to her. He KNEW about her past and yet he did the same thing to her as Seiya did. All men were the same. She couldn't deal with it a second time. She couldn't be here. 'I shouldn't have come…'

Serena quickly ran towards the street before Darien could reach her. She didn't want to hear any of it.

"Serena! Let me explain! Please!" Darien shouted, as he ran to catch her.

"I gave you a chance to explain! Just… leave me alone Darien!"

Serena ran saw a cab on the other side of the street. She had to take it. It was the only way she could escape.

"Serena?" said a familiar voice.

She turned to see whose face the voice belonged to. "Seiya?"

"Serena! You're crying! What happened?" Seiya said, worried. He glanced up at the steps and saw Darien. 'That bastard! I'm sure he has something to do with this,' he thought.

"Seiya, I can't talk right now! I have to go," Serena said, wiping her tears. She crossed the street as Darien came up behind her. But it was too late, she had already crossed. So many thoughts were going through her head as she waved for the taxi. All she wanted was to escape Darien.

**BEEP! BEEEEEEP!**

The truck was going way too fast. Serena turned to the bright oncoming lights. All she heard was Darien, Mina and Seiya's voices screaming her name before everything turned black.

**Author's notes:** Uh oh! Is Serena dead? I hope not. Hope you liked the chapter! This one was harder to write. There were way too many emotions in it. Thanks for reading guys! See ya in the next chapter and keep those reviews coming! xoxo


	14. Done

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Sailor Moon =).

**Author's notes:** Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it =). Seriously. For those of you who don't know, I've written another fanfic called **Sweet torment**. Also, I've written up a short profile with updates on my stories, if any. I also stopped looking over my chapters for discrepancies in the story, which I shouldn't have. I know there's at least one: Janice the secretary. In earlier chapters, I say she's there, in later chapters she miraculously appears! I'm going to have to introduce her somehow or take her out completely. It won't change the storyline though, so it's not a big deal if you don't go back and read it.

Anyways, I know you're all dying to see what happens to Serena and Darien so here it goes!

**Chapter 14**

Time seemed to slow as Darien watched the inevitable. He didn't even have the energy to ask why Seiya was there. He screamed her name, but there really was no point. He heard the tires screech. He saw her body fold into the impact of the truck's bumper and disappear under the stopping vehicle. Everything that happened afterwards seemed to move quickly.

"Oh my God! Serena!!!" he heard Mina scream behind him. Her face was full fear as she ran towards her best friend's body.

Darien's face was contracted in terror. What had he done?

"Darien! Call an ambulance!" Mina shouted, as she looked under the truck. "Serena? Serena? Can you hear me?" No answer. It was dark, but she could see Serena. Her legs were protruding on the other side. Mina feared the worst.

The truck driver was also in as much shock as everyone else. He stared far ahead, gripping his steering wheel, his eyes glazing over.

Darien's adrenaline suddenly kicked in as he rushed to the side of his beloved. He pushed Mina aside and bent down to peer under the truck. There she was, immobile. What had he done? "Serena! Serena! You have to wake up!" he shouted, pain resonating through his voice.

Seiya looked at him. "She said to call an ambulance! What are you doing?!" he screamed. Darien quickly ran to the other side of the vehicle. He had blocked out everything around him. "What the fuck?!" Seiya shouted at his back, while pulling out his cell phone to call for help.

'It's all my fault...' Darien told himself. 'Please let her be alive.' He bent down. He wanted to pull her out from under there, but he was afraid he'd break something else. He was sure something was broken. He stood beside Mina who was kneeling trying to get to her as well.

Just then, the truck driver got out of his vehicle, he too realizing what he had done. Darien's head spun at the man's movement. A sudden rage consumed him. He didn't have time to wonder where it had come from. All he knew was that that man had been going too fast on a slippery road. Darien's hands were suddenly around the man's neck. It was only natural he find someone else to blame.

"You bastard! You fucking bastard! I could kill you!" he screamed to the man. Tears sprung from his eyes. The man was in shock, his face becoming redder and redder. He was trying to breathe, but Darien was so strong. Tears fell from Darien's eyes as he realized that Serena could be dead. "Do you know what you've done?!"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Seiya shouted, trying to pull Darien's arms and fingers away from the truck driver. "Let him go! Killing this man won't do Serena any good!" he continued. With one big heave, he wrenched Darien away.

**BAM!**

Darien's fist went flying right onto Seiya's jaw. "Don't you EVER fucking touch me!"

Seiya's jaw was slowly reddening. He was starting to get angry. This guy had been on his nerves since day one. Enough was enough. "You think it's HIS fault she got hit?" he asked, pointing at the driver. "You and I both know you were the cause of this. It's YOUR fault she was crying, YOUR fault she ran onto the street, YOUR FAULT SHE'S DYING UNDER THERE!" Seiya shouted, tackling Darien.

"Ugh!" Darien groaned, as he felt himself being pushed back. It was slowly becoming a wrestling match.

"STOP IT!!!"

Both men were grasping each other's collars when they looked to see where the voice came from.

Mina looked at them both disapprovingly, tears in her eyes. "How can you fight each other when the woman you BOTH love is unconscious?! She needs us right now and if you two can't handle being two feet from each other, I don't think either of you deserve her." Mina glanced at Seiya and lingered longer on Darien.

Darien released Seiya's shirt first, ashamed. He felt Seiya's grip tighten and then quickly loosen. "This isn't over yet, Shields," he said loud enough so only Darien could hear.

Andrew made his way onto the street, bringing the coats of his friends. Almost all the guests were outside. Sirens were heard at the end of the street.

--

"She's going to live right?" Darien asked the medics inside the ambulance. He had seen how they had taken her out from under the truck and onto the stretcher. They had been careful but not careful enough to his liking. He wished he could hold her in his arms, butholding her hand right now was enough. It felt cold, a little too cold. He looked at her pale face. Blood trickled down the side of her head. A few scratches scattered on her arms and face, but other than that, she still looked like the angel he fell in love with.

"She took a pretty nasty hit back there. Her heart's beating slower than normal and her breathing's shallower," said a dark haired woman sternly. "We think that the front wheels of the truck might have run over her legs. There might be a fracture or two. She also took a nasty hit to the head."

"But she'll live right?" Darien asked with sad eyes, almost pleading them to save her.

The woman looked back at him apologetically before looking at her partner.

--

"What do we have here?" asked a doctor.

A couple of nurses and the medics from the ambulance were either pushing or pulling Serena's bed. Darien was trying to keep up, still holding her hand.

"A truck hit her and possibly ran over her legs. She hit her head upon impact with the floor. Her breathing's shallow and her heart rate's not lookin' good."

"Take her to the ER and prep her for X-rays," told the doctor to a nurse. "I'm afraid you can't come in here, sir. We'll advise you if there are any changes," he said to Darien before walking through the red doors.

Darien wanted to hold on to her hand for longer, but before he knew it, they took her away.

--

Darien was sitting in a corner in the waiting room. The security guard at the other end had the TV on. Darien's face was all over it. The guard turned around and back to his TV, realizing that Mr. Shields himself was in the room. It would be a matter of minutes before the press would surround the building. News travelled pretty darn fast.

"Darien! How is she?" Mina asked frantically. Darien's frustration was cut short.

"I don't know. They took her away," Darien said solemnly. He was staring at his hand, the one that had held Serena's before they took her away from him.

"She'll be alright though?" Andrew asked.

Darien just looked up and Andrew saw the sadness that his eyes contained.

--

Minutes and hours passed until a nurse finally came out. "They've moved Miss Serena Lawrence to a room on the 7th floor. You may go up to see her. The doctor will be with you shortly."

They all sighed in relief. It was as if they were holding their breath. The small gang hurried up to the 7th floor and asked the receptionist where Serena Lawrence would be. They walked swiftly to the end of the corridor.

The doctor quickly came out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Are any of you members of her family?" he asked them.

"No... Her family doesn't live in New York. We're all she's got," Mina said.

The doctor looked at them carefully, debating whether or not he should tell these people what had happened to the girl. After a few seconds, he didn't see any real harm in it. "Miss Lawrence has a minor concussion, but those are usually common in these types of accidents. The blood she lost could have led to believe that it was worse, but luckily it wasn't. Her right leg is fractured. She will have to undergo extensive physiotherapy in order to regain function of it. I hope she's not a professional ballroom or ballet dancer because she won't be able to use her leg for such matters anymore."

Darien smiled. It reminded him of the dance they had shared tonight. How beautiful she looked, how her lips felt...

"She has to rest now. She's been through a lot. I suggest you all go home and rest yourselves," the doctor said to them.

"No. I'm staying," Darien said sternly.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over. I will advise the patient that you were here. But she must rest now. You may come see her first thing in the morning."

The doctor didn't seem like he was going to tolerate them being there any longer and they all decided to head home. 'Morning is only a few hours away...' Darien thought.

--

Darien arrived exhausted into his apartment. He had so much on his mind. He had been so worried about Serena that he forgot about what had started all this. He wanted to see Serena desperately. He wanted to tell her everything. But it seemed impossible now. What was he going to do?

--

The next morning...

Darien had stayed up all night. He couldn't sleep. Every time he tried, all he would end up doing was toss and turn in his sheets. He resolved that a few cups of coffee would be enough to get him through the morning. He hurried to shower and change. He headed out the door to be at her side.

--

Darien walked into the hospital. He quickly passed through the gift shop and bought a beautiful bouquet of flowers. He entered the elevator and hurried up to where she was moved. He double checked with the nurse at the reception in case of any changes.

He hid the flowers behind his back. As he was about to knock, he noticed a head of black hair and his brows immediately narrowed. 'What's HE doing here?'

Seiya turned around at the sound of his footsteps. He decided to be courteous in front of Serena. "Mr. Shields. Good to see you again." 'I can't believe he has the nerve to show his face here after what he did,' Seiya thought to himself.

Darien frowned. "How's your jaw?"

Seiya frowned back as he remembered how he had to put some ice on it once he got home. "Why you..."

"Darien, please leave."

Darien turned towards Serena. Did he just hear what he thought he just heard? "What-"

"You heard me. Leave," Serena said, averting his gaze. She needed to be strong. She told herself she would be. If she looked at him now, she would falter and she didn't want to. Not a second time. She was awake all night thinking about him, thinking about how she found him with _her_. Her relationships were always too good to be true. She had cried for a while, but she didn't have any more left in her.

"You don't really mean that," Darien continued.

"Yes, I do! Now please go!" she shouted. She mustered up the courage to look at his face. What she saw hurt her, but her pride told her she was pretty sure it didn't hurt as much as what she had felt last night. He still looked perfect with the stubble visible on his jaw and his blood red eyes due to his lack of sleep. She couldn't forgive him. She _wouldn't_ forgive him.

Darien was shocked to see all the anger emanating from her eyes. "Alright... If that's what you want..." he said softly, walking away.

Serena turned her head to look out the window. "Darien... Don't come back."

Darien paused at the doorstep. He shut his eyes in pain and briskly walked away. Forever.

'Well, I guess that's it then...' Serena hid her face from Seiya as a single tear slid down her cheek.

--

Darien hurried out, not before throwing away the flowers he got her. He went to his car and drove. He kept driving and driving. Flashes from last night surfaced in his head. It had all happened so fast. He didn't know where he was going. He roamed the streets of New York. He blew it. He didn't want to accept it, but he knew he did. He had tried so hard to be with her. He should've told her sooner. Why hadn't he told her sooner? Andrew had tried warning him. Why hadn't he listened?

Darien stopped at the peer and slammed on his steering wheel. He was so damn frustrated. Why was it so difficult to be with her? It was great at the beginning, wasn't it? Then, Seiya suddenly showed up. After that, his past resurfaced. Third time's the charm, right? And he wasn't going to stick around for that. Were all of these things signs? Signs he shouldn't be with her? As much as he hated admitting it, as much as it hurt, he would never try to be with Serena again. Was love really this hard? He had tried to be with her, but there was always something keeping them apart. Darien hugged his steering wheel and buried his face in his arms. He sobbed quietly, realizing that he lost the woman he loved forever.

--

Darien strolled onto his office floor. Andrew immediately popped out of his. "Dare, I thought you'd be-"

"Yea, well, surprise, surprise..."

"What happened?"

"She kicked me out, Drew. She kicked me out of her life for good."

"She's probably still mad-"

"You didn't see the look on her face when she said it," said Darien, turning around to look at his friend square in the eye. Andrew remained silent. "Life goes on Drew. Love shouldn't be this hard." Andrew looked at his friend dumbstruck. Was he giving up on Serena?

Darien turned to go to his office before Andrew could warn him.

"Hello, Darien."

Darien didn't expect to see her here. HER. She had the audacity to show her face. "What the fuck are you doing here Michelle?"

Surprised by his menacing tone, Michelle moved back into his office. "I-I came to... to apologize."

"You think an apology is going to fix this? You think an apology is going to get her out of the hospital? You think it'll bring her back to me?! You have always been selfish, Michelle. Well, you know what? All your years of practice have served you well. I'm all yours now, sweetie," Darien retorted, words filled with venom.

Michelle looked to the floor. "I don't want to marry you, Darien."

"What?" Darien said shocked.

"It's not right... We're not right." She paused to recollect her thoughts. "Last night, when she saw us, I saw the hurt in her eyes and it was like I woke up or something. I _know_ how she felt Darien. I know because I'd have that look whenever you would leave me for other girls. I know how much it hurt her to see you with me and at first I didn't care, until... until I saw that you had that look too. It was one thing to hurt her, but I couldn't bear to hurt you." She paused. "We were good to each other back then." She smiled as she remembered their younger selves. "But not anymore."

"You tell me this now?" Darien said incredulous. "She's in the hospital because-"

"I know that it's partially my fault she got hurt. I know that I should've never threatened you all those years ago, but I feel love and pain too, Darien. All I wanted was for you to love me again, like you used to. But I know that it's impossible now. Your heart belongs to someone else." Michelle began to cry. It was something that Darien hadn't seen in a very long time. "I'm going away for a while," she said wiping her tears. "I don't know where, but I need to find myself again." She moved closer to Darien. "You deserve happiness. I'm not going to tell anybody what happened. It was never my secret to tell." She looked at the man she loved for one last time. "I hope that one day you'll be able to forgive me for all the horrible things I've done. Goodbye, Darien." She kissed him on the cheek before walking away.

Darien was stunned, yet he believed every word she said. He only wished that she realized all this sooner. But right now, he didn't know if he had the strength to continue an impossible relationship.

--

Serena was lying in her hospital bed, thinking about Darien. She felt conflicted. Did she do the right thing? Should she have given him another chance? Did she really have to end so drastically? Should she call him? All these questions would be left unanswered.

Seiya was watching her. It was clear that she had a lot on her mind. It was clear that she had Darien on her mind. It didn't matter though. She drove him away and all that was left was for Seiya to woo her back again. "Serena? You should eat something. You're going to need every ounce of energy to get that leg back on track."

"This cast isn't going to come off for a while. I have plenty of time to get some energy before physio starts," Serena told him solemnly.

"Of course you do." Seiya saw that it was going to take a lot to get Serena to love him again, like she used to.

"Knock, knock," Mina said, walking in with the biggest bouquet of flowers and balloons.

Serena turned and smiled. Mina always knew how to cheer her up. "Did you buy the whole flower shop?" Serena asked her best friend.

"Nope, but you know I would for you!" Mina came closer and glanced at Seiya. 'Why is Seiya here and not Darien?' "How are you feeling?"

"Excellent! I feel absolutely fantastic!" Serena said sarcastically pointing at her leg cast. She was clearly trying to put some sort of front to hide the pain she felt inside.

"I'm glad to see your knack at sarcasm is intact. It mustn't be as bad as it looks." Mina shifted her eyes to Seiya in a manner that told Serena she wanted an answer as to why he was there.

"Um... Seiya? Could you give Mina and me a minute?"

"Sure thing. I'll be outside if you need me." He got up grumpily and walked out, closing the door behind him.

"Since when has he been here?" Mina asked.

"A while."

"Seemed like it. Serena I was so scared yesterday. I saw you under the truck and you weren't answering me. I thought... I thought..."

"Well, I'm not. But I might as well be..."

"How can you say that? You're safe! You've got all your limbs!"

"Yeah... but I don't have Darien..."

"Well, I'm sure he'll show up soon."

"No, Mina. I mean I won't have him. Ever." Mina looked at her confused. "He came this morning and I just told him to go away and never come back."

Mina's jaw dropped. "Sere, why?!"

"I don't know. Actually, I DO know. I saw him kissing Michelle. He told me to meet him and when I got there..." Tears welled up in her eyes.

'I'm going to KILL him!' Mina thought with rage. But she wasn't entirely convinced that Darien would actually do it. "I'm sure that there's an explanation-"

"Mina, I'm tired of explanations. I can't take explanations a second time. My first ordeal with explanations is waiting outside as a reminder."

Mina glanced at the door. "But I KNOW you love Darien! Isn't that enough? Can't you at least try to forgive him?"

"I can't. I just can't..."

"Why not? You-"

"He BROKE my heart, Mina!" Serena shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks. Mina's eyes widened at the brutal way she said it. "You can go get Seiya now," Serena said, wiping her cheeks.

"Sure, Sere... I need to call Andrew anyway. Will you be okay with him?"

Serena nodded. Mina left and Seiya came back to sit down. Serena took a good look at him. He still looked good with his jock physique. She noticed a bump on his jaw. "What happened to your jaw?"

"Nothing a few days can't heal," he answered, smiling back. 'Curse Darien!'

"I'm sorry I ruined the party..."

"Please, Serena. It wasn't your fault. If there's anyone to blame, it would be Darien Shields."

Serena's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the way he said his name. She decided not to dwell on it. "I made you spend so much money on the center and I end up here. You must be angry with me."

"You know I'd do anything for you. And no, I'm not angry with you. Although, I'm pretty surprised at the total... I mean I didn't even get to see the place," Seiya added to lighten up the mood.

Serena giggled. "It was something. I'm sorry you missed it because of me."

They kept talking and talking, just like old friends.

--

Mina hurried to the nearest payphone. Damn hospitals and their stupid rule for not using cell phones! She hurriedly dialled Andrew's cell.

"Andrew Garner, hello?" said an all too familiar voice.

"It's over Andrew..." Mina said sadly.

"Mina? What? What do you mean?" he asked frantically.

"No, I didn't mean us! I mean Serena and Darien!" Mina said, exasperated.

Andrew sighed in relief. "I know... He came in this morning. He took it better than I thought he would-"

"What? Define better."

"He just walked in, told me it was over between them and went into his office. No cry of despair, no complaints... It was like he was okay with the idea, like he was giving up."

Mina's eyes drooped. Her best friend and her boyfriend's best friend were giving up on each other. "I guess we can't push it further. Serena told me the same thing. I don't think she has the strength to fight anymore."

"I guess it's really over," Andrew said. He was disappointed about it. They did complete each other nicely. She had made him a better man and he was thankful for that. But Darien did have a point: was love supposed to be this hard? He thought about how Mina and he got together, how smoothly things are still going between them and he was still madly in love with the girl. He just didn't understand why it couldn't be the same with Darien and Serena.

"I wish they could be like us, Andrew..." Mina said softly.

"I do too, Mins. I do too..."

--

Darien locked himself in his office. He sat in his chair. He looked at the mountain of documents he needed to look over. His mind couldn't help drifting back to Serena. He brought it upon himself. He knew in the back of his mind that it was his fault. His fault he didn't tell her, his fault she ended up in the hospital, his fault she wasn't in his arms right now... But, he also knew that it was over. There was no use dwelling on it. He pictured her smile, her laugh, the smell of her hair, the softness of her skin... It was time for them to become memories. It was time for _her_ to become a memory.

'That's enough playing around. It's time to get back to work,' he thought resolved. It was time to get the company back together. It was time to get over her. It was time to go back to his old self.

--

Serena looked out her window. She had fun today with Seiya, surprisingly. He even offered her to be her physio partner. Everyone had come to visit her, Lita, Amy, Greg... They all bared flowers and gifts. Mina had told Serena's father that she was in the hospital. She had received a call from him earlier today. He was overseas though, stuck in a mini-hurricane, but would soon be on the first flight able to leave.

She had time to forget. Forget about_ him_. But now, alone in her room, she couldn't help but think about him. A thousand questions plagued her mind. She wished she could go back. Back to where it all began. That day, she fell in the pool, eavesdropping on his conversation. She smiled at the thought. She would have done everything differently. But, would it have really changed their fate? Maybe they were destined to love for a little while, but not forever. Serena saddened. She didn't regret anything, but if she could, she would erase the hurt. God knew how much she was hurting and she knew that she had to let go. She was going to let go.

--

**Author's note:** I bet you all want to know what's going to happen next right? Has Darien really given up? Will he go back to being an arrogant jerk? Will Serena fall into Seiya's arms again? I know what happens, but I'd love to know what you guys think! =)

I had a bit of a writer's block for this chapter and it was also a bit shorter than the others. I feel like my story's wrapping up. I think I'll give it maybe three more chapters until the end *cries*. I don't really want it to end though, I guess it all depends on the ideas I put in it. I don't know when I'll be able to write the next chappie because schools bugging me again (damn school!) and I'm kind of into my other fic **Sweet torment. **If you haven't checked it out yet, please do! People seem to like it! Until next time my loyal readers! Keep reviewing! xoxo


	15. Far too long

**Disclaimer: **Same!

**Author's note: **You guys are insanely nice! I love all of the reviews I'm getting. They're so supportive! I SERIOUSLY LOVE THEM! Anyway, I'm still looking over previous chapters. I'm at chapter 9 now. Chapter 8 was the date! Remember that? *squee* I loved writing that chapter (and reading it). It was kind of long though... Back to my point: I'm trying to delete Janice the secretary (was that even her name?)

Ok, enough useless chitchat... Here goes chapter 15!

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Far too long**

Days passed, then weeks.

Two months had flown by since Darien and Serena had last seen each other. It was the end of February and they were both living their separate lives, both equally content with what they'd achieved.

Darien had slowly restored his company back to life and made it one of Blake Corporation's main competitors. He had worked extremely hard, only the instinct of business driving him from day to day. He changed the way the company worked: instead of just owning companies, he merged them, taking in the best interests of each to heart. They were all making profit in the end. Everything was back to normal. He even got a new secretary.

**DING!**

Darien watched as Mina walked out of the elevator, Andrew's lunch in hand. She tended to do that every so often, whenever she had the time. Mina waved at Darien before Andrew came up to her and gave her a long lingering kiss. Darien stared. It used to be torture watching those two canoodle in front of him, now it was somewhat bearable. He used to wish that Serena were the one to walk out of those elevator doors. He still thought about her. Every single day she would somehow find a way into his mind. How could he forget how brief their love was and how quickly it had plummeted.

Darien got up and closed the door. He wanted to pick up the phone, but it had been too long. Far too long.

--

"Stop it, Seiya!" she said laughing.

"If I don't, you won't put 100% into this exercise and you know it," Seiya retorted, attempting to tickle her again.

Serena blocked his attempts and sighed. It was always the same thing with physiotherapy, the same old exercises every day. She was lucky that Seiya was there to help her through them. He had been at her side since day one. "Okay, okay! I'll keep going if you stop tickling me!"

"Good," Seiya said. He had watched her progress fairly quickly these last few weeks and she was already falling back into his arms. She didn't say it out loud, but in due time, she would. She now looked at him like she had looked at Darien. 'Pah! Darien...' Seiya thought. 'That loser never stood a chance...'

Seiya watched as Serena walked awkwardly but closer to normal than she had when she first started physio. He couldn't help but feel proud about it. "That's it, Sere... One more and we're done for today."

Serena hurried and grabbed her crutches, not that she absolutely needed them. But the doctor didn't want her to put too much pressure on it apart from the exercises.

She watched as Seiya led her back to her room. She smiled. She really did appreciate everything he was doing for her.

--

A week later...

"Well, Miss Lawrence, you've made excellent progress!" the doctor beamed, finishing his examination. "I'll go pull out some release forms for you and you'll be all set to leave. Just make sure you don't do anything too extensive with your leg for at least a couple of weeks. I'll schedule an appointment for you by then to make sure everything's alright," he said getting up.

"Thank you doctor," Serena said, trying to keep her excitement in. She had been in this hospital for what seemed like ages. She couldn't wait to see her apartment again.

"Yes, thank you, doctor," Seiya said after Serena.

The doctor smiled and left the room.

"Seiya... I know I keep thanking you and you're probably sick of it. But you have to know that it really means a lot to me you being here..." Serena said, as they waited.

"How many times to I have to tell you Sere? I'm here because I _want_ to. You have no idea how much being with you means to me," Seiya said smiling, grabbing her hand. Serena felt his warm hand cover hers and she didn't mind. "Hey, how 'bout we celebrate tonight? Does sushi sound good?" he asked.

Serena's eyes shimmered. She had been craving sushi for the longest time. "I can't wait," Serena replied smiling back as a nurse came in to tell them the papers were ready.

--

"I'll pick you up at seven," Seiya said from his car. "I'll be taking you to the best sushi place in the state so dress nice," he said, winking at Serena as she got out of his car.

"Don't worry, I've got the perfect little number in mind," she responded. "Drive safe."

Seiya nodded and sped off. He had some things to take care of at the corporation. He wished he didn't. He couldn't wait until later tonight.

Serena turned to her building. 'Ahhh... Home sweet home,' she thought happily before walking in.

--

Serena walked into her apartment, smiling brightly. Daniel had been ecstatic about her return. He had made her these French pastries for the occasion. She put them down on the counter. She noticed that Amy wasn't home; probably out with Blaze. She had been taking care of Serena's apartment, when she had the chance, while Serena had been in the hospital.

Serena sat down on the nearest couch. Her mind slowly drifted into a trance. It conjured up scenes from the time she had been with Darien. Serena shook her head. They were still so vivid after all this time. She didn't want to think about it, _him_. It was over. She took the opportunity to call her best friend.

"Hello?"

"Mins, it's me!"

"Sere! Caller ID says you're home!" Mina said excitedly. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to take you home, but Darien has been bombarding me with all these new projects! How are you doing?"

For a second, Serena froze up at his name although there was really no reason to, right? It had been more than two months since she last saw him and she couldn't have been happier. Of course she was heartbroken at first, but Seiya had been there for her, every step of the way. He didn't even try to talk to her, not once. 'It's not like I gave him the choice... Stop it!' she reprimanded herself. "Yeah, um... No. That's alright, Mins. I'm fine. Seiya was there to bring me home. "

Mina shook her head on the other end of the line. She didn't feel too kindly about Seiya. To her, Darien should have been the one at her side. "Aren't you tired of him already? He's always so... careful about you. It's almost creepy."

"Please, Mina. He only means well," Serena replied chuckling. "Besides, he's taking me out to sushi tonight to celebrate my release from that dreary white room."

"That's awfully nice of him. I bet he's been dying to take you out ever since he laid eyes on your leg cast," Mina joked.

"Ha ha... We're just friends."

"Oh please Sere. That guy has everything BUT friendship on his mind. You haven't really been helping his case you know, what with your giggling fun and all. It's so high school!"

"Mina!" Serena said incredulous.

"I'm just stating the obvious."

"We're just friends," Serena repeated slowly.

"We'll see about that."

"Mina! Get back to work already!" It was Darien. Her breathing stopped at the sound of his voice on the other end. She didn't expect it to have this much of an effect on her. It was as if the little drawer in her mind of all things Darien suddenly burst open.

Serena released the breath she didn't realize she was holding. She suddenly felt an incredible yearning for him and for the first time, she realized how much she actually missed him. Did she make a mistake by making him leave? She couldn't think about this right now. It had been far too long. "I guess that's your cue to go... I've got some things to do anyway..." Serena said softly.

Mina heard the change in her voice. "Sure Sere. Have fun tonight."

"Thanks Mina, bye," she said before hanging up, wishing she could hear his voice one more time.

--

For the next few hours, Serena tried occupying herself with anything and everything futile in her apartment. She cleaned impossible corners and even reorganized her closet. She blasted the music, desperate to keep anything Darien out of her mind. She had done so well these last couple of months without him, she couldn't let all that progress go to waste.

Serena glanced at the clock. 'Seiya's gonna be here soon...' she thought. She hurried upstairs to change.

--

Serena heard a knock on the door. 'That must be Seiya.' "I'll be right there!" she shouted, as she slipped on her earrings, running down the stairs.

She opened the door. Seiya stood there gaping at her like a fish. "Sere... Y-you look incredible!" He took a moment to eye her from head to toe and back up again. Seiya's mind started drifting to what he hoped would happen after dinner, but quickly composed himself.

"Thank you. You don't look too shabby yourself," Serena said, satisfied with her choice of dress. She chose a long-sleeved navy blue dress. The front was pretty low cut and the dress hugged her curves nicely.

"Shall we?" Seiya asked gallantly. He was eager to get the night started.

"Sure, let me get my coat," Serena said. With that, they walked out arm in arm.

--

"I can't believe you did that!" Serena said laughing at a story Seiya had told her.

Seiya had been right. The sushi here was exquisite. She couldn't stop ordering more. God she loved sushi! "Where'd you find this place anyway?" she asked, popping another one into her mouth.

"A business partner brought me here one evening. The sushi helped his case," he answered chuckling.

Serena chuckled back. Seiya watched as she delicately dipped another maki into her soya sauce and put it into her mouth. To him and any other male spectator, it was absolutely sensual. The way her lips wrapped around her chopsticks, the way her tongue passed over her mouth, the way she closed her eyes to savour it... Seiya could barely contain himself as she was about to eat another one.

He noticed that Serena's expression changed abruptly. She looked... surprised? Shocked? Her eyes had widened at something behind him. He quickly turned around. 'Shit.'

--

"I can't believe you guys dragged me out here with you. You just love making me feel like the third wheel," Darien said, walking in with Andrew and Mina.

"No! Come on! Can't we all just go out as friends?" Mina said, following the waiter to their table.

They all sat down. "Besides, this place is supposed to be excellent. We felt the need to share it with you," Andrew said.

"Shut up, Drew. You and I both know that you would prefer being alone with Mina," Darien said, smirking.

Andrew smirked back, knowing what Darien was insinuating, before Mina hit his arm with her purse.

--

Serena watched as Darien, Andrew and Mina sat across the room. Darien was facing her table. The second he would lift his eyes off the menu, he would be staring straight at her. She couldn't be here. She couldn't confront him. Not today, not ever.

Serena scanned the room for the bathrooms. "I need to go to ladies' room. I'll be right back," she said quickly to Seiya.

Seiya turned around, but she was already speeding off.

--

Darien looked over the menu. Everything sounded so good. He couldn't decide what to order. He decided on ordering a drink first. He put his menu down and his eyes fell on a moving figure, a figure he couldn't mistake for anyone else's.

Darien sucked in a breath as he saw her again. It had been too long. His heart raced. She was absolutely stunning. Should he go talk to her? Or would that upset her? His vote was on the latter.

He watched as he saw her trip over something before walking away towards the bathrooms. Darien chuckled. She was still the same, tripping over anything. Andrew and Mina looked up to see why Darien laughed.

"Was that... Serena?" Andrew asked.

Darien looked at them, trying to seem like he didn't care. "Hum... yeah," he said, looking back at the menu.

Mina raised an eyebrow. "We're not stupid you know. We know you still care for her. It's been more than two months already! I think you guys have had enough time to think about it. You should go talk to her."

"And tell her what? I'm sorry I broke your heart in front of everyone? I'm sorry you ended up in the hospital because of me?" Darien asked sarcastically.

"She doesn't blame you for her ending up in the hospital, Darien... She was just really hurt. I'm sure that if you'd just explain-"

"I think she made it pretty clear she didn't want ANY of my explanations," Darien said sternly, making Mina look back sadly at her menu.

"Dare, maybe you-"

"Save it Drew," Darien said, cutting him off sharply. Andrew looked down at his menu.

Darien looked back at the bathrooms, hoping to see her come out. He wondered with whom she was here with. He scanned the room for a familiar face, maybe Lita or Amy. Two black eyes filled with hatred were staring back at him from across the room. His blood boiled.

--

'Every time I think I have a chance with her, Darien shows up!' Seiya thought angrily. He looked at his nemesis. They were both throwing invisible daggers at each other. Out of all the nights he picked to show up to, this one had to be it. Seiya knew he had to move quickly. He heard Serena's chair being pulled out. She was back.

"Everything okay?" he asked her gently.

"Um... no, actually. I'd like to go home now," Serena said. She was clearly feeling uncomfortable here with Darien in the room. She looked up quickly to see if he was staring back at her. She was surprised to see that he wasn't. Suddenly all these questions popped into her mind: was he over her? Did he care about her anymore? Would she care if he cared? Serena frowned. Maybe it was over. Maybe he had moved on. She drove him away after all. Why would he want anything to do with her anymore?

Seiya asked for the bill as Serena hurriedly put her jacket on. Seiya left the money on the table and they left.

--

It was snowing out. A strong wind accompanied the falling flakes. There weren't a lot of people out today. They were waiting for the valet to bring out Seiya's car. Serena hugged herself. "We could wait inside, if you're cold," Seiya said gently, approaching her.

Serena looked at him sideways. "No, I'm alright." She didn't want to go back there, in fear of Darien actually seeing her.

There was an awkward silence between them, something that hadn't happened within the last two months. It was dark and there was no one around them.

Seiya stared at the beautiful woman he loved. She was exquisite in the moonlight. "Serena..."

Serena looked up at the sound of Seiya's voice saying her name. Little did she know that he was leaning in for a kiss. Serena instantly turned her head, so that he landed on her cheek. Seiya opened his eyes as he realized where he landed. He frowned angrily.

"I'm sorry, Seiya. I'm sorry if I'm giving you the wrong impression, but we're just friends," Serena said.

"Just friends," Seiya repeated.

"Yes, I'm sorry if I've made you think otherwise."

"It's because of Darien isn't it?!" Seiya said loudly, all of a sudden. He was frustrated at Serena. Of course she still had feelings for that guy! She had chosen Darien over him before, why wouldn't she do it again?

"What? No! Darien has nothing to do with this!"

"He has EVERYTHING to do with this! The second you laid your eyes on him in there, you were already spiralling away from me!"

Serena frowned. "Besides high school, I have never liked you more than as a friend," she said sternly.

"You expect me to believe that everything we shared at the hospital was nothing?!" Seiya shouted. Did he read the signs wrong? Was he that blind?

"It was not nothing! They were just never more than friendly! It was harmless!" 'Where was the valet?' Serena thought. She didn't like the way Seiya was looking at her.

"They weren't harmless to me! You still don't realize it do you?! All this time, I've been waiting for the right time to tell you I still have feelings for you. All this time, I've been with you every day helping you through your recovery and all I get's a measly kiss on the cheek?"

Serena was beginning to feel angry. "No one ever said you had to! At least now I know that you only did it for your own purposes. You just needed to get closer to me. Again, a proof of my stupidity! You're just a friend Seiya, nothing more."

"Why am I always just a friend to you, huh? HUH?!" Seiya said furiously, grabbing her by the shoulders. "I try and I try but for NOTHING! Why Serena? Tell me what I'm supposed to do to make you fall in love with me?!" he shouted, getting closer.

"Ow... Seiya... you're hurting me!" she cried out. Serena forgot her anger. Now, she was scared. She saw something in Seiya's eyes that she had never seen before. Some sort of hunger or need. She glanced inside for help trying to spot Darien's table.

Seiya saw her eyes move in Darien's direction. "I'm right aren't I? You still love him don't you," he spat. Serena remained silent. He laughed a maniacal laugh. "You STILL love him! After what he did to you! After ALL this time!"

Serena tried backing away. The valet finally arrived with the car.

Seiya looked up at her. "He's not going to have you again," he said roughly. He grabbed her arm harshly.

"Ow! Seiya, you're hurting me! Ow!"

He told the valet to leave, pulling Serena roughly towards the car. "You're going to be mine tonight Serena. For ONCE, you're going to love me as much as I love you. You're NEVER going to see him ever again," he said, seizing her face between his fingers against the side of the car.

Serena winced in pain. What was happening? What was wrong with Seiya? She wanted to run, but Seiya had her pinned between him and the car. He was so close that she felt something below his abdomen protruding her. He was enjoying this. He was actually enjoying this. He liked holding her this way. Serena tried moving away from him.

"Ah, ah, ah. I'm not going to let you go, not again," he said huskily. He quickly shoved his mouth over hers, causing her to squirm. She was trapped there, helpless, as she felt his tongue push against hers. His hands were holding her down firmly. She closed her eyes wishing that he would just disappear.

She suddenly felt his weight move away from her. She opened her eyes and saw Seiya on the ground.

Her saviour had his back to her. He was looking down at the sprawled body. Seiya had been knocked out. His head had hit a nearby post.

The man who saved her wasn't wearing a jacket. He slowly turned to look at her. Her eyes widened.

"Darien...?" She couldn't believe it. He saved her. Again. This couldn't possibly be _just_ coincidence. Fate had brought them together once more.

--

Darien remembered sitting with Andrew and Mina. One second she was there, the next she was gone. He had searched the restaurant with his eyes, but she wasn't there anymore. He had saddened at the thought of her leaving with that bastard. He looked through the window and saw him. He saw him grip her shoulders and he saw the pain on her face. He couldn't contain himself. He suddenly felt himself walk towards the exit of the restaurant.

--

His eyes flashed with rage as he remembered Seiya hovering over her, but he quickly let that go. Their eyes met. She was safe now. Darien looked at her, really looked at her. She wasn't mad at him, at least not at that second. She looked relieved. Serena stared back at him. It was as if her heart started beating again. How could she have let him go? How could she ever think that she could ever live without this man?

Words were not needed to express what they really felt for each other. Darien took quick strides towards her and grabbed her arm gently, hailing for a cab.

--

The ride was filled with heavy silence as they both sat in the back seat. They were heading home, back to where they had met the first time, back to where it all started.

Neither of them knew how to start the conversation. It had been far too long. They didn't know where to begin. Was she supposed to still be mad at him? Because she didn't feel like she was. Was he supposed to just turn away now? Because he really didn't want to. They were so close to each other, yet so far away.

They arrived at their building. Darien didn't mind the looks Daniel was giving them, as they quickly went up the elevator.

It was silent once again. Serena desperately wanted to jump into arms and tell him that she forgave him, but she knew she couldn't do it. Darien wanted to apologize, about everything, and just take her into his arms and kiss her with all the passion he was holding inside. The tension was running high. They were both trying to ignore each other, trying to ignore the feelings that were surrounding them.

Why couldn't they just tell each other that they loved each other? Why couldn't she just forgive him? Why couldn't he just tell her the truth already? Why did it have to be pride over love?

They arrived on the last floor. They were both going their separate ways.

"Serena, I-"

"Darien, I-"

They both said at the same time. Their names on each other's tongues felt like pure bliss to their ears. How long were they going to keep denying each other like this?

Darien's eyes locked onto Serena's. "Oh, what the hell!" Darien growled. He strode towards her, claiming her lips with his.

Serena's eyes widened in shock. Was this really happening? Shouldn't she stop this? They had a lot to talk about and this wasn't the way she imagined doing it. All rational thought suddenly vanished as she felt his tongue demand entrance to her mouth. She eagerly gave it to him.

A sudden need overwhelmed her. She didn't care anymore about what had happened between them. All she knew was that she still loved Darien and she wanted him to know that now.

She was feeling very warm. She quickly removed her coat. Her hands moved up his torso. Darien didn't know what came over him. This could've gone wrong in so many ways. He just needed her to know that he still cared for her and clearly, she felt the same. Her hands slid back to his black mane and her fingers entangled themselves within his soft hair. His arms were wrapped around her tightly, not wanting to let her go. Their breathing became ragged as his mouth ravished hers. He wanted her so bad.

It was different than the first time. It was gentle the first time, now it was just primal, an urge, a need. They had been away from each for far too long. Darien hoisted her up and she laced her legs around his waist, careful not to break the kiss. He moved back towards his apartment, holding her firmly with one hand, while the other searched for his cardkey. Serena broke the kiss as she moved onto his neck and behind his ear, gritting her teeth against his skin in the process. Darien sucked in a breath as he swiped the key, opening the door.

Darien quickly swung her inside, closing the door behind him. He slammed her back against the door, getting a small grunt from her, which he enjoyed. His lips quickly found hers again as they joined for a rugged kiss. Darien kissed her like there was no tomorrow, his hands holding her face.

Her dress had ridden up. Darien's hands were no longer on her face. His fingers were found on each of her thighs, feeling the soft flesh there. They moved up as Serena unbuttoned his shirt. His fingers found the cloth that was keeping her covered. He moved back. Serena raised her arms. With one swift movement she was out of that dress, exposing her bosom. Darien quickly pulled her away from the wall and vaguely knowing where he was going, put her above the kitchen counter, getting a little yelp from her due to its coldness. He peeled away his shirt. Serena's eyes glowed with hunger. She wanted him. Screw what happened two months ago. She could care less right now.

Serena pulled him into a hot, sultry kiss, showing him that she needed him, wanted him. Serena felt Darien's lips make their way down her neck to her breasts. She let out a moan as she felt his tongue roll around one of her peaks while one of his hands marvelled the other. She felt a burning desire growing in her center. It was way too late to stop now.

Darien moved lower down her abdomen and found a bit of lacy fabric. He quickly pulled it away. A fire burning inside him was slowly consuming him. Darien spread her legs. Serena felt his tongue touch her folds, causing her to cry out. She gripped the counter as he made her feel sheer pleasure. She bit her bottom lip as Darien kept tantalizing her savagely with his tongue. He made her cry out in ecstasy as she succumbed to her release.

Darien moved back up her body, licking her breasts as he passed by. He looked into her eyes. Serena wanted him. She wanted him now. Serena grabbed his head and slammed her lips to his. He undid his belt and let his pants fall to the floor. Serena felt the tip of his manhood against her still sensitive area. A carnal need consumed him as he thrust hard into her, going as deep as he could. He let out a low grunt as he felt her wrap around his rod. She gripped his back as she felt him inside her. He moved back and forth against her. Serena moaned in his ear, clutching his sides. Darien held her waist as he moved inside her. His hands moved to her bottom. He gripped her fiercely and pulled her off the counter.

He moved out of the kitchen, towards the stairs. He was losing his grip so he pushed her against the nearest wall. Serena held it as Darien pounded into her. She moaned louder and louder, causing Darien to get closer to his climax. He didn't want to, not yet.

He lifted her off the wall and hurried to his bedroom, keeping her lips on his. He laid her on her back on his bed, driving himself into her. She gripped the sheets over her head, trying to match his every thrust. Everything was hazy. All she could think about was how good Darien felt.

Serena took all the energy that was left in her to push Darien onto his back so that she was on top of him. She moved up and down his shaft as he roughly grabbed her breasts. They were both moaning in unison. Darien looked up at the blond vixen. Her lips were slightly parted, her back was slightly arched. She felt amazing. He needed release _now_.

Darien suddenly pushed her onto her back again. He was nearing the edge and so was she. Serena moaned louder as Darien's pace quickened and his thrusts deepened. His face was right beside hers. She could feel his heavy breathing and groans beside her ear as she clawed his back for more. Darien complied and moved faster and harder. Serena was panting beside his ear making him crazy for her.

"Oh, Darien! I'm going to- Ahhhh!"

"OH SERENA!!!" he cried out as they both climaxed.

Their bodies were covered in sweat. Darien lifted his head to stare at her. He moved a few strands of her hair away from her face. He looked deep into her eyes. So much was needed to be said. It had been far too long.

The moment of passion was over. Were they going to regret this in the morning? They would have to face the consequences. But not now.

Darien moved off of Serena and lay beside her, not letting go of her gaze. Neither knew when either fell asleep.

* * *

**Author's note:** Alright! I hope that the last scene wasn't too hardcore or too smutty or something. Hope you all liked the fact that they're back together. At least, for now... muahahahahaha. Did I surprise you all? I'm pretty sure you all knew they were getting back together. Anyways... your thoughts and reviews are always appreciated! Also, I don't want to make any promises on when the next chapter will be up. I have a crazy ass workload of schoolwork so since this is more of a "hobby", it'll have to be put on hold for a bit. Please don't hate me! Please? I promise I won't take TOO long. 'Til next time! xoxo


	16. Repercussions

**Author's note: **I'm baaaack! Yeah yeah, I missed you too... Anyways, we are SO close to the end. SO close! Alright then, here goes another long awaited chapter!

**Chapter 16**

**Repercussions**

Darien awoke the next morning to the feeling of emptiness beside him. His eyes immediately flew open as he noticed that she wasn't there. He quickly sat up.

Serena was standing in front of the bedroom window, wearing one of Darien's shirts, looking blankly outside.

He felt like he could breathe again.

"You still smell the same..." Serena said softly as she brought a sleeve to her nose, breaking the silence. "I tried forgetting you, you know. And it worked. I locked you up in my mind somewhere. I was... happy. Then I heard your voice over the phone when I called Mina. At that moment, all my defences crumbled and something inside me burst open. I couldn't face you again. I couldn't deal with you. I just couldn't shove you back in that drawer a second time. It only got worse at the restaurant. I wanted to run away from you."

Darien listened as Serena poured out what she felt.

"This morning when I got up I was so tempted to just leave... Then, without really noticing it, I put on your shirt and it made me realize that I didn't really want to leave you." Serena smiled. "I could never really leave you." She paused. "I just need a reason to stay." She turned around to look at Darien. "Give me a reason to stay after what you did."

Darien frowned. This was bound to come up sooner or later. The night of the party was the catalyst of a series of unfortunate events. She deserved an explanation. It was time to fess up.

--

Seiya awoke with a massive headache. The sunlight coming through the window didn't help either. He brought a hand to his bandaged forehead. 'Ugh... where am I?'

"You're awake," said a familiar voice. "I'll go get the nurse."

He squinted to concentrate on the leaving being. He noticed long blond hair. "Serena?"

It took him a few minutes to recall the events of yesterday evening. He remembered being angry. Very angry. He frowned as thoughts of kissing Serena resurfaced until something, or someone, had interrupted them. He had suddenly found himself flying through the air. After that, blackness. He hadn't seen his assailant, but he had a faint idea of who he was. His brows narrowed as his eyes shifted to fury.

A doctor came through the door, along with Mina and Andrew. Seiya's heart plummeted. It wasn't Serena.

The doctor gave him a quick examination and concluded that Seiya was technically fine. Minor headaches were all that he would be getting. He left the three to talk alone.

"What are you two doing here?" Seiya asked rudely. He couldn't help being impolite. His mind was on other matters, like Serena's whereabouts, and he didn't like where –or on whom– those thoughts ended.

"I don't think that's any way of speaking to the people who brought you here," Andrew said spitefully.

"I didn't need your help."

"Right, you were perfectly fine, unconscious and bleeding from the head in front the restaurant," Mina retorted.

Seiya glanced up annoyingly. What the hell were they doing here? They weren't exactly best friends and his mood wasn't the most pleasant right now.

"What did you do to Darien?" Andrew asked. Mina looked at him disapprovingly. It wasn't how she wanted to approach the subject.

Seiya looked up angrily. "I didn't _do_ anything to him." Wasn't he the one who ended up unconscious?!

"You must've done something. All we saw was Darien getting up from our table, furious, and speeding out the door. When we came out, he was nowhere to be seen and we found you, on the ground, head against a pole," Mina said. "We didn't see Serena either."

Her story only aggravated him more. Serena had probably left with that asshole. The thought made him boil. He wanted to get back at Darien, get back at him for winning yet again. He wasn't going to let him take her this time.

Seiya quickly got up from his bed, getting weird and confused stares from Mina and Andrew. He hurried to find his clothes and slipped them on. Andrew, realizing what was happening, went to the door to block his way out.

"Out of my way, Garner," Seiya growled with heated eyes. Andrew looked at him square in the eyes. He didn't like what he saw. Something had been unleashed in him. Seiya looked almost... crazy.

"You shouldn't be leaving the hospital," Andrew said sternly.

"You can't stop me. Serena needs me. She belongs with _me_," Seiya said.

Andrew frowned. What the hell? He was starting to talk like a mental person. He needed to calm down. "Listen, I know you're worried about Serena..."

Seiya didn't feel very patient and wasn't going to wait for Andrew to get out of his way. He wasn't going to let Andrew stop him from reaching his goal. He wasn't going to let _anybody_ stop him.

He shoved passed Andrew with all his might, causing Andrew to stumble into the room. Seiya ran down the hallway to the nearest stairs, his mind set on only one thing: revenge.

--

Serena listened to Darien's story. He told her every single detail, from that fateful night up until yesterday evening. She didn't know if she should feel relieved or angry, happy or sad.

Things started making sense in her head. That's why Darien had been secretive about his phone calls. That's why Michelle was always around. That's why Michelle was at the Christmas party and saw what she saw. Most importantly, that's what he wanted to tell her that night, but she overreacted. He had kissed Michelle to protect her. Her heart wrenched as she thought about how she could ever think that Darien didn't love her anymore.

Darien watched as she went from serious, to surprise, to shock. He couldn't quite place what she looked like right now though. It was a mix of confusion, disgust and sadness... Darien sighed. He knew that Serena would think of him as some kind of monster. He knew this would happen.

Serena looked up at him. Tears had formed in her eyes. She was crying? Shouldn't she be screaming profanities at him? Shouldn't she be angry about ending up at the hospital because of him? Telling him that he was a murderer and she could never be with such a man?

Darien waited and realized that he made her cry. Again. He looked away as he clenched his fists under the covers, mentally kicking himself over and over. But he knew it would end this way, hurt and cries.

"Darien..." Serena said in a barely audible whisper, but it was enough to make him glance up and look at her. How did she feel about this? He needed to know. He had always imagined that the day he would tell her would make her furious and cause her incredible pain. Of course, he was grateful that she hadn't pushed him away, but he wondered why she was being so quiet and reserved about something so important. She probably hated him. How could she love him now?

**DRING! DRING!**

For a second, they both stared at each other; Serena not knowing whether she should answer her cell phone or not. She didn't really know what to say to Darien. How could she put into words how she felt? Where to start? She took the opportunity to buy some time to collect her thoughts.

She wiped off her tears with one hand and picked up the phone. "Hello?" she said, her voice a bit raspy.

"Serena?" Mina said alarmed.

Serena frowned at her friend's tone. "Mina?! What's wrong?"

"I think there's something wrong with Seiya!"

Serena's heart stopped as flashes of last night resurfaced. Seiya's roughness... his tone...

Darien watched Serena's expression change abruptly. He didn't like what he saw. Something was wrong.

"Sere, I think he's headed to your apartment. He's not himself. He left the hospital furious."

"What? What do you mean he's headed here?" Serena asked confused. At that second, Darien got off of the bed and immediately put some clothes on.

"Sere, please! He pushed Andrew to the ground just to get to you. I think you guys should hurry and get out before-"

**CRASH!**

Serena dropped the phone to the ground, leaving Mina shouting her friend's name on the other end. The sound was coming from her apartment. She was glad she wasn't in there alone. She could hear faint screams, but she was dead sure that that someone was screaming _her_ name.

Darien turned to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Serena, whatever I just told you, just forget about it. Right now, we have to go downstairs and make a run for it. We don't have much time before he finds out you're not in your apartment, but in mine," Darien said urgently.

Serena stared wide-eyed, almost as if she didn't comprehend what he was saying. "What if... What if he just wants to talk?"

"No. I won't let him hurt you again," Darien said firmly. "Come on."

Serena nodded once and quickly followed him downstairs, not entirely sure of what was happening.

--

**CRASH!**

"Oh Serenaaaaaa!" said a sing song voice coming from downstairs. "Serenaaaaa! I just want to talk!"

Seiya walked into the apartment yelling her name out. Everything was conveniently placed. No sound could be heard. It didn't even seem like anyone was home.

Seiya screamed in frustration as he realized that she wasn't there, but in _his_ apartment. He turned around violently and scanned the kitchen with his eyes. They stopped on something shiny. That's what he was looking for.

He moved towards the object and grabbed it. He held the knife in front of his eyes. Darien was going to pay. He was going to pay for making him look like a fool, for making his efforts to regain Serena's love seem like nothing. After today, Darien wasn't going to bother them anymore.

He quickly slid the knife in his inside pocket and hurried out the way he came in, towards the only other apartment on that floor.

--

Walking out, Seiya noticed a jacket lying in the hallway. A male jacket. They were probably still in his apartment then. His fingernails dug deeper into his palm. He looked a little further and noticed a small white card. 'How convenient...' he thought.

Seiya walked towards the key card. 'Darien probably let that slip away while he was holding MY Serena...' he thought venomously. He was about to pay dearly.

He picked up the small object and swiped it at the door.

--

Darien and Serena hurriedly headed for the sliding doors. There was a fire escape at the far end of the balcony.

They heard the door open and neither of them moved.

--

Seiya pushed the door away from him. There they were. Not too far from him. They wouldn't stand a chance if they tried to run for it.

He noticed the scattered clothing and his blood boiled. He hated Darien with a passion. He stole Serena away from him. After all these years, Seiya still loved Serena and she didn't give him an ounce of what she felt for Darien. He looked for her all this time and she gave nothing in return. All because of _him_.

He started moving towards them.

"Don't come any closer, Seiya," Darien said, placing himself in front of Serena.

Seiya smirked. "Did you two have fun last night?" he asked, picking up Serena's underwear to show it to Darien.

Darien snarled. "How's your head?"

Seiya glared back.

"Why are you here?" Darien asked.

"I just need to talk to Serena."

"Whatever you have to say to her, you can say in front of me."

Seiya threw Serena's garments. Darien saw a strange glint in his eye. Something was very wrong with him. "You don't belong with him, Serena," Seiya said quietly.

"Who are you to say who she belongs with?" Darien spat.

Seiya's anger immediately flared. "I was the one who was supposed to have her! If you hadn't shown up at the restaurant-"

"I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have gone home with you anyway."

Seiya's eyes narrowed. "If you hadn't interrupted us-"

"You mean if I hadn't saved her."

"SHUT UP!" Seiya screamed. "She belongs with ME!"

"Seiya..." Serena said from behind Darien. Darien looked behind him, but she didn't as much glance at him. It was official, she hated him. She didn't want anything to do with him anymore. She was going to choose Seiya.

There was silence as Serena looked into Seiya's eyes. He didn't look right. Something wrong had possessed him. She took in his attire. He was dirty and his shirt wasn't properly tucked in. He had escaped from the hospital this way.

"Serena," Seiya said softly. There was still hope. She was looking at him so fondly. "Come here. You need to be with me."

Serena snapped out of her thoughts. She didn't like Seiya's tone or the way he was looking at her. "Seiya, you need help. You can't-"

She hadn't been looking at him with love. She just pitied him. Seiya growled in aggravation. "Can't what, Serena? Can't have you? Can't love you? Because of _him_? Did you forget the reason behind how you ended up at the hospital?"

"I don't blame him for any of that. I overreacted. I-"

"I stayed by your side throughout it all! And yet here you are! With him!" Seiya said furiously.

Serena's eyes were shifting from side to side. "I've already told you that I'm grateful for everything, but-"

"But you want him. Why do you always take his side?! After all he's done to you! How can you still choose him over me?!" Seiya shouted.

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!" Serena shouted back. Darien's head snapped back towards her direction. "I love him..." Serena repeated, looking up at Darien's face. How could she not love him? How could she ever think of a life without him?

At that moment, Darien felt such relief. He couldn't believe she still loved him after all that he had said. He truly believed that he had lost all chance of getting her back. But at that moment, he knew that she forgave him for everything.

Seiya watched as the couple exchanged silent words of affection. He didn't like it, not one bit. "ARRRGGHHH!!!" he growled, running towards them.

Darien slowly turned at the noise. Seiya was coming up fast. Darien saw him reach for something in his pocket. It was a knife. Seiya was going for him.

Seiya's breath quickened. Serena was supposed to be his. It clearly wasn't the case. It would never be the case. If he couldn't have her, nobody would.

Seiya changed his path and charged towards the girl who betrayed him.

--

Darien's eyes widened in shock as he saw the change in Seiya's course. Serena was now the target. He had to react quickly.

Serena's eyes widened in shock, as she took in what was happening, but she would gladly die in Darien's place. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

Before she knew it, Darien had placed himself between her and her attacker. She saw Darien's eyes widen as the knife penetrated his abdomen. She heard herself scream as he fell to the ground.

Blood pooled under his motionless body.

--

Seiya's eyes widened. He killed a man. His hand shook as he brought the knife up to his face. Blood was dripping from it onto his wrist. He looked down at Serena's sobbing figure. How could he? How could he hurt the one he loved?

"Freeze!" said a voice he didn't recognize. "Let go of the weapon and turn around slowly!"

Seiya did as he was told. He lifted his hands over his head and turned around. Shock was written all over his face. What had just happened? It all happened so fast. All this rage... This wasn't what he wanted. What had he done?

Seiya watched as two officers came up to him and cuffed him.

As he was shoved into the backseat of the police car, he saw an ambulance arrive around the corner.

--

"Darien... It's gonna be okay... It's gonna be okay..." Serena said, sitting beside him in the ambulance. She kept saying these words, but did she truly believe them? There was just so much blood. She didn't have to be an expert to know that he had lost a lot of blood.

She was holding his hand tightly. She watched as an oxygen mask was strapped over his face. This was really happening.

There had been so much blood on her carpet. So much blood...

Serena watched as a medic put pressure on Darien's open wound. The bandages were soaked in no time. She could barely see him breathe. Why was there so much blood?

Serena stifled a sob. It was enough to catch the attention of the technician woman beside her.

The medic recognized her immediately. 'By God...' She had once been at the man's place not too long ago. "He didn't wanna leave your side, you know," she said to Serena, before giving another order to the other medic.

"Excuse me?" Serena asked confused.

"I recognize you from that night you were trampled by a truck. He didn't want to let go of that hand of yours. He was incredibly worried about you. He must love you a whole lot," she said, resuming caring for Darien.

Serena remembered the events. The next day, she didn't want to talk to him. She just told him to go away and leave her life forever.

Tears formed in Serena's eyes. How cruel she had been.

She looked at his face and caressed his cheek. She couldn't lose him now, not when she just got him back.

--

Serena hurriedly got out of the ambulance. It was a blessing that a barricade had been formed to stop the nosy reporters from going inside the hospital. There were so many of them. Camera flashes were in her face. Word had gotten out fast.

It got worse as Darien's stretcher was pulled out of the vehicle. The medics had done well in covering him with a towel. No one had the right to see Darien Shields in this state.

Serena ran inside the hospital after the medics. She watched as they took him away into the ER.

Serena flopped down beside the wall. He had to survive this. God wouldn't be as cruel as to take him away from her now, would he? Serena sobbed into her arms.

"Serena!" she heard someone call her. She lifted her head and saw Mina and Andrew running towards her. "Are you okay? We saw on the news that Darien was headed here! What happened?" Mina said full of concern.

Serena looked towards the ER doors and started sobbing. Mina understood. Darien was in there. "Shh... It's gonna be okay, Sere... Come on... Shhh..." Mina said as she picked up her best friend and sat her down on the nearest chair. "What happened, Sere? Did Seiya hurt you?"

"No... He didn't... But he had a knife, Mina! A knife! Then... then he..." Serena tried explaining.

Andrew frowned knowing. "That bastard... I'm going to kill him!" Andrew shouted. If Darien was going to die because of that son of a bitch, he was going to make sure that Seiya wasn't going to live a very long life.

"The cops have him now..." Serena uttered.

"Good. We called them as soon as I couldn't hear you anymore," Mina told her.

"They didn't come soon enough... They didn't come in time... in time to save him..." Serena cried harder.

"Shh..." Mina said, rubbing her friend's hair. It was only then that she took in her best friend's attire. She was only wearing one of Darien's shirts, which only meant one thing. Mina couldn't help but smile inside. They had made up. After all this time, they finally realized that they were meant for each other.

Mina's smile quickly faded as she realized that Darien might not get out of this alive. As Mina caressed her friend's hair, she silently prayed for Darien to be alright. She didn't know if Serena would survive this one. It sure didn't seem like she wouldn't.

She watched as Andrew bottled up the anger he so desperately wanted to unleash. Darien's death would kill him too.

--

Darien's body was being rushed into the ER. Immediate surgery needed to be performed. The puncture wound had gone deeper than they thought. The bleeding needed to be stopped. The heartbeat wasn't strong but it was there.

The surgeon swiftly closed the patient up. Everyone let out a breath in relief. Another crisis averted. A victory celebrated a second too soon.

Everyone turned to the heart monitor. They listened as a low stable beep resounded.

--

**Author's note:** Ooooo! Cliffhanger! I'm not a doctor so I'm not sure what happens when you're dealing with a knife wound so don't hate me if it sounds like utter crap!

I'm not sure about Darien's outcome yet... There aren't a lot of fanfics that make one of the main characters die after such a long struggle to be together... Well, I could always be one of the few! Anyways, tell me what you think!! I really hoped you liked this chapter! I'm not sure when I'm going to update again, but it'll possibly be the last chapter depending on Darien's outcome. It's about time this thing ends...


	17. Finally

**Author's note:** So... Is Darien dead? Is he alive? Did I listen to all your pleas and gave him a chance to live a long and happy life with Serena? The answer isn't too far... Read on my dear readers!

**Chapter 17**

**Finally**

"Clear!" the doctor shouted as he placed the electrodes on Darien's chest.

The heart monitor still showed the same straight green line.

"Raise it up to 400," the doctor continued. "Clear!"

No change.

"Clear!"

No change.

The doctor sighed. "Time of death: 11:13 AM. I'll go tell the girl."

--

Serena was now lying over a few chairs, her head in Mina's lap. The tears had stopped flowing. Terror had sunk in. What was taking so long? When were they coming to talk to her? Was Darien...? She couldn't bring herself to even think it.

Serena's eyes shifted up as she heard footsteps coming towards them. This was it. The moment of truth.

"Serena?" Mina said softly. "The doctor's here."

Andrew, Mina and Serena slowly got up. Serena's body felt stiff. She had been in that position for quite some time now, trying to shade away from the unbearable reality.

Serena tried analyzing the doctor's expression. Doctors were so neutral about these kinds of things. They had to be. She tried to see if she could find an answer, although deep down inside, she didn't really want to hear it.

"Since Darien's parents are unreachable at the moment, I'm guessing you three are as close to family as it gets," the doctor said. He looked at their awaiting faces. "Darien Shields did not make it. He died after we closed him up. His heartbeat was already faint when we started the operation but it was the only way we could stop the bleeding. I'm very sorry," the doctor finished, before walking away.

Andrew sat back down and put his head in his hands. He stared at the floor, trying to process the information. His best friend was dead. Dead.

"Mina..." Serena said gently. "Mina... I can't breathe," she said as she fell to the ground. "He can't be... He can't be..." Serena muttered over and over again. It couldn't be true.

"Shhh... Sere..." Mina said, trying to soothe her.

"No..." Serena stared helplessly in front of her. "I need to see him!" she cried, a new set of tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please! He's not dead!"

"Sere! Calm down!" Mina said, trying to restrain her. She couldn't bear to see the pain on her best friend's face.

"Let me go! He's not dead! Nooooo!"

--

"You look good, Serena," Lita said.

Serena nodded at her friend. "Thanks for being here, Lita. I really appreciate it."

Serena listened as friends and family gave her their condolences. Soon, they would have to bury him. Soon, he would be six feet under.

The viewing had gone by in a flash. Serena still hadn't realized what was happening. It was as if the world had accepted the fact that he was dead, that it was almost okay to see him go.

Now, Serena was alone with Andrew and Mina.

"Sere... It's time to go," Mina said softly.

"You guys go on ahead. I want to stay a bit longer..." Serena replied just as soft.

Serena approached the coffin, while her two friends gave her her space. She looked at his peaceful face, a face she would never forget. "Oh Darien..."

--

"Darien!" Serena screamed, sitting up straight in her bed.

It was a dream. An awful dream.

She wiped the sweat off of her forehead and let her rapid heartbeat slow down. She looked at the empty space beside her. She wished _he_ was there.

It had been a three weeks since that day. Three weeks. Why was she being tortured with these nightmares?

She remembered everything that had happened. Seiya's outrage, the blood, the hospital... She remembered all the pain she felt, all the hurt, all the worry.

She had been having the same dream every night, ever since _he_ left. Always _his_ death. It was so vivid, so real. She didn't know how to make it go away.

Serena didn't want to go back to bed, in fear of having another nightmare. She got up and looked at the time. 3:04 AM. Great. Another wonderful day lied ahead of her. She would be a peach at the office today. Andrew would love her enthusiasm.

Ever since _he_ was gone, Andrew had taken over Shields Inc. He had begged Serena to take her job back at the company, saying that she was some sort of good luck charm. In truth, they both needed each other's presence. Serena couldn't refuse him, she couldn't leave him alone. Together, they vowed to make the company thrive in _his_ absence and they were doing a fine job at it.

She hurried into the shower to try to get the picture of _his_ dead body out of her head.

--

Serena poured another cup of coffee before heading down to the car.

Daniel had felt so bad about not seeing Seiya coming. He was always being extra nice to Serena even though she told him many times she didn't need him to be.

Serena waited patiently for her car and took the opportunity to open up the morning paper. The headline read 'Seiya de Marco: still behind bars and awaiting trial'. A smaller headline read 'How is Blake Corp. coping?'. Serena felt bad for him, but what he did was inexcusable. And now, the whole world knew it.

The valet signalled that the car had arrived and Serena was thankful for the interruption. Seeing Seiya in the papers brought back images of last night's dream and the face she couldn't think about.

Serena walked out into the sunlight. The occasional photographer would snap her picture, but it wasn't worth much since the buzz around _him_ had died out. He wasn't important anymore.

--

Serena arrived at work early. Andrew was already in his office, making calls. Since she had resumed her position as a public relations officer, she always had to check in with Andrew to see what her itinerary was for the day. Sure, she had someone to tell her all this, but it provided her with an excuse to see how Andrew was doing.

Ever since _he_ was gone, Serena would always try to busy herself with anything and everything, filling up empty spots in her schedule. She had to keep her mind off of _him_ or she wouldn't be able to get through the day.

Andrew nodded at her to acknowledge her presence. She waited patiently, drinking her coffee. Her mind started drifting towards _him_ again. His voice, his touch, his eyes... How she missed him.

Serena's head snapped up at the sound of rummaging in _his_ office. Odd... She put her coffee down and walked slowly towards the noise.

As she got closer and closer, she heard a voice. A voice she would recognize anywhere.

She hurried into the office, catching the person off guard.

"I'll call you back," he said, looking at Serena.

There he was. The man she loved. The one who couldn't leave her thoughts. Midnight black hair and deep blue eyes. Yes, it was him.

"Darien?"

"Serena, you're here early," he said, coming towards her to envelop her in a big hug.

"I could tell you the same," Serena told him, quickly running towards him and jumping into his arms to close the space between them. Her legs immediately wrapped around his waist and her arms flung around his neck as she bent down to place her lips onto his in a kiss she had so longed to give him. Darien revelled in her lips. It was pure ecstasy to be able to touch her again. They had had so little time together before he left.

"Well... I should go on business trips more often..." Darien said slyly, after a few seconds.

"Don't tease. I'm just really glad to see you," Serena said. "I've been having these... nightmares ever since you left for Japan. I couldn't help but think the worst," Serena said, smiling glad that all her worrying was for nothing.

"Nightmares, huh? About what?" Darien asked concerned, putting her down.

Serena looked from side to side. She didn't really want to tell him. She didn't want to bring that day up. Ever. She didn't like thinking about Darien's almost death. Even the doctor had lost hope. He had declared him dead, but he had miraculously woken up.

"Serena, you can tell me..."

Serena shrugged and gave in. "About how things could've gone wrong... the day you were at hospital..."

Darien immediately understood and wrapped her in his arms. "You won't lose me anytime soon..."

"I know, Darien. I know. It just felt so real... I just thought that maybe something happened. I was so worried ever since you left."

"I'm here now aren't I?" Darien said, pulling back to smile at her.

"Mmhm," Serena said, feeling better. She was glad she had been worrying for nothing. "Why are you back so early anyway? I thought you'd only be back around dinner time," Serena said, changing the subject.

"They let me take an earlier flight and I needed... uh... something from my office. Besides, I couldn't leave Drew to man the ship for_ too_ long. God knows what mayhem he'd cause," he said, caressing her cheek.

"I heard that!" Andrew said, walking into the office. "Glad to see you're back in one piece. Serena and I were working our asses off. How was Japan?"

"Excellent. Shields Inc. 1, Black Corp. 0," Darien answered.

"Alright! Good job, Mr. Shields!" Andrew exclaimed happily, tapping his friend on the back. "I'm sure you two lovebirds want some alone time. I'm going to tell Mina the good news," he said, walking back to his office.

Darien rolled his eyes at his best friend. Andrew hadn't shown it, but Darien knew that the hospital fiasco had shaken him to the core. Darien couldn't ask for a better friend.

"Did you get a chance to talk to your father?" Serena asked, pulling Darien out of his thoughts.

A week ago, Lucas Shields had finally confessed to the murder. Seeing his son at the hospital hit something deep inside him, made him realize something no one could quite understand. Everything about it had been revealed: his wife's death, the people who killed her, the organization they worked for... Michelle was a witness and had been called out to testify. So was Darien. They had judged that Darien had been too young and had been simply defending himself. However, they weren't as kind to his father, judging the action of covering it all up as worse than the act of murder itself. But, as usual, money spoke louder than words and he was let off the hook with minor penalties. Darien had seen to that. Even though he hated his father for making him keep everything a secret for all those years, the man was still the father he loved dearly and Darien couldn't bear to see him waste away in a cell.

"Dad's fine. He's incredibly worried about you surprisingly. He's wondering how you're coping with me being at the office all the time," Darien said, his brows creasing. His father had grown to enjoy Serena's company over the phone. They had gotten to know each other while Darien had been recuperating at the hospital.

"Well... I do hate that you're working so hard," Serena scowled.

"You realize I've only just started. A week in Japan and already you're complaining."

Serena frowned at him. A week without Darien had meant recurring dreams. He didn't realize what hell he put her through ever since he left for Japan. She hated sleeping without him. She hated not being with him period. "With the company expanding and all, I don't think I'll be able to survive all these impromptu business trips and lonely nights!" Serena said looking up uneasily at his handsome face.

Darien smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Sere... I don't plan on leaving the continent anytime soon."

"The continent, huh? That still leaves Canada and Mexi-"

Serena's eyes widened in surprise as her hand moved up to place itself over her mouth. Darien had gone down on one knee. "Darien? Wha-" Serena's mind couldn't properly register what was happening. She could barely form a sentence.

Darien chuckled, seeing her shocked expression. "I _was_ gonna wait 'til dinner tonight to surprise you... But I realized that I left the most important part at the office so I had to come home earlier, find it before Drew, 'cause Lord knows he can't keep a secret... and well... seeing you here, I just couldn't wait until tonight. Besides, what more of an appropriate place could this be? Shields Inc. is what brought us closer together." Darien took a moment to breathe in.

Serena's eyes became watery as he took her hand in his. He looked into her clear blue eyes and knew that this was right. "Serena, words can't express what an amazing and beautiful person you are. Ever since I met you, my life has been so different and I can't thank you enough for making me the man I am today. I can't imagine my life without you... It's happened once and it was one time too many. I love you so much Serena... Will you spend the rest of your life with me?" he asked, pulling out a small velvety box to reveal its contents.

Serena gasped as she saw how the intricately cut diamond glistened in the light. She had known the answer to his question for a long time. "Yes. Of course I'll spend the rest of my life with you..."

Darien's smile grew wider as he got up and slipped the ring on her fourth finger. Serena looked at the jewel on her finger before lifting herself up on her toes to kiss the man she loved.

"I love you, Darien Shields," Serena said, looking into his eyes.

"I love you too, Serena Lawrence," Darien replied before taking her into another passionate kiss. Except, this kiss was sweeter than all the rest. It signified a new beginning. It signified that through all the ups and the downs, and through all the obstacles, they had finally found each other.

**The End**

--

**Author's notes:** There you have it folks the perfect little ending, no? Did you guys think Darien was dead? lol.

I know it was a little short, but there's only so much you can say to end a story. I can't believe it's over. It's actually over! *cries* Trust me, I tried dragging it along. Well, at least I'll get to work on my other fic right? Anyways, review please! I'd love to hear what you guys think about this ending. Should I have ended it in a different way? Would you guys have preferred him dead lol? Maybe a sequel about their married life? Tell me what you think! Tell me, tell me, tell me!!! I'm so glad you stuck with me until the end! Really I am! I'll see you all in the other fic I hope. Tootles!


End file.
